1. O praise ye the Lord, prepare a new song,
And let all his saints in full concert join;
Ye tribes all assemble the feast to prolong,
In solemn procession with music divine.
2. O Israel, In him that made ye rejoice,
Let all Zion's sons exult in their King;
While to martial dances you join a glad voice,
Your lutes, harps, and timbrels in harmony bring.
3. The Lord in his saints still finds his delight;
Salvation from him the meek shall adorn;
They well may be joyful, sustained by his might,
And crowned by his favor may lift up their horn.
4. Let carpets be spread and banquets prepared
Those altars around, whose incense ascends;
While anthems of glory through Salem are heard,
And God whom we worship indulgent attends.
5. Then as your hearts bound with music and wine
Inspired by the God who reigns in this place:
Unsheathe all your weapons, and bright let them shine,
And brandish your faulchions† while chanting his praise.
6. Then march to the field, the heathen defy,
And scatter his wrath on nations around;
Like angels of vengeance your swords lift on high,
And boast that Jehovah commissions the wound.
7. Their generals subdued your triumphs shall grace,
And loaded with chains their kings shall be brought;
On the necks shall ye trample on Canaan's proud race,
And all their last remnant for slaughter be sought.
8. No rage of your own such rigor demands;
A sentence divine your arms must fulfill;
Of old he this vengeance consigned to your hands,
And in sacred volumes recorded his will.
9. The honor, ye saints, appointed for you,
All-grateful receive, and faithful obey;
And while his dread pleasure resistless ye do,
Still make his high praises the song of the day.
______
†. A kind of curved sword.
Enfield, Hymns for Public Worship, 1772
1. O praise ye the Lord; prepare a new song,
And let all his saints in full concert join;
With voices united the anthem prolong ;
And show forth his honors in music divine.
2. Let praise to the God who made us ascend;
Let each grateful heart exult in its King;
For God whom we worship our songs will attend,
And view with complacence the offering we bring.
3. Be joyful, ye saints, sustained by his might,
And let your glad songs awake with each morn;
For those who obey him are still his delight;
His hand with salvation the meek will adorn.
4. Then praise ye the Lord; prepare a new song;
And let all his saints in full concert join;
With voices united the anthem prolong;
And show forth his honors in music divine.
English text