 English text
I did in heart rejoice
To hear the people's voice
In offering so willingly:
For let us up, say they,
And in the Lord's house pray:
Thus spake the folk with amity.
Our feet that wander'd wide
Shall in thy gates abide,
O thou Jerusalem full fair;
Which art so seemly set
Much like a city neat,
Whither the people do repair.
The tribes with one accord,
To give thanks to the Lord,
Are thither bent their way to take:
So God before did tell
That there his Israel
Their prayers should together make.
For there are thrones erect,
And that for this respect,
To set forth justice orderly:
Which thrones' right to maintain,
To David's house pertain,
His folk to judge with equity.
To pray let us not cease
For Jerusalem's peace:
Thy friends God keep in amity;
Peace be thy walls about,
And prosper thee throughout
Thy palaces continually.
For my friends sake will I
Wish that prosperity
May evermore abide in thee:
God's house doth me allure
Thy wealth for to procure,
As much as always lies in me.
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Metrical 'New Version' (Tate & Brady)
English text
1 O 'twas a joyful sound to hear
Our tribes devoutly say,
Up, Israel, to the temple haste,
And keep your festal day.
2 At Salem's courts we must appear
With our assembl'd pow'rs,
3 In strong and beauteous order rang'd,
Like her united tow'rs.
4 'Tis thither, by divine command,
The tribes of God repair,
Before his ark to celebrate
His name with praise and pray'r.
5 Tribunals stand erected there,
Where equity takes place;
There stand the courts and palaces
Of royal David's race.
6 O pray we then for Salem's peace,
For they shall prosp'rous be,
(Thou holy city of our God)
Who bear true love to thee.
7 May peace within thy sacred walls
A constant guest be found,
With plenty and prosperity
Thy palaces be crown'd.
8 For my dear brethren's sake, and friends
No less than brethren dear,
I'll pray - May peace in Salem's tow'rs
A constant guest appear.
9 But most of all, I'll seek thy good,
And ever wish thee well,
For Sion and the temple's sake,
Where God vouchsafes to dwell.
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Metrical paraphrases by Isaac Watts
English text
VERSION 1. Going to church (C. M.)
1 How did my heart rejoice to hear
My friends devoutly say,
"In Zion let us all appear,
And keep the solemn day!"
2 I love her gates, I love the road;
The church adorn'd with grace
Stands like a palace built for God
To shew his milder face.
3 Up to her courts with joys unknown
The holy tribes repair;
The son of David holds his throne,
And sits in judgment there.
4 He hears our praises and complaints;
And while his awful voice
Divides the sinners from the saints,
We tremble and rejoice.
5 Peace be within this sacred place,
And joy a constant guest!
With holy gifts and heav'nly grace
Be her attendants blest!
6 My soul shall pray for Zion still,
While life or breath remains;
There my best friends, my kindred dwell,
There God my Saviour reigns.
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VERSION 2. Going to church (668. 668.)
1 How pleas'd and blest was I
To hear the people cry,
'Come, let us seek our God today':
Yes, with a cheerful zeal
We haste to Zion's hill,
And there our vows and honors pay.
2 Zion, thrice happy place,
Adorn'd with wondrous grace,
And walls of strength embrace thee round;
In thee our tribes appear,
To pray, and praise, and hear
The sacred gospel's joyful sound.
3 There David's greater son
Has fix'd his royal throne,
He sits for grace and judgment there;
He bids the saint be glad,
He makes the sinner sad,
And humble souls rejoice with fear.
4 May peace attend thy gate,
And joy within thee wait
To bless the soul of ev'ry guest!
The man that seeks thy peace,
And wishes thine increase,
A thousand blessings on him rest!
5 My tongue repeats her vows,
Peace to this sacred house!
For there my friends and kindred dwell:
And since my glorious God
Makes thee his blest abode,
My soul shall ever love thee well.
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English text
The festal morn, my God, is come,
That calls me to thy honour'd dome,
Thy presence to adore:
My feet the summons shall attend,
With willing step thy courts ascend,
And tread the hallow'd floor.
Ev'n now to our transported eyes
Fair Sion's tow'rs in prospect rise;
Within her gates we stand,
And, lost in wonder and delight,
Behold her happy sons unite
In friendship's firmest band.
Hither from Judah's utmost end
The heav'n-protected tribes ascend;
Their off'rings hither bring;
Here, eager to attest their joy,
In hymns of praise their tongues employ,
And hail th'immortal King.
By his command impell'd, to her
Contending crowds their cause refer;
While princes from her throne
With equal doom th'unerring law
Dispense, who boast their birth to draw
From Jesse's favour'd son.
Be peace by each implor'd on thee,
O Salem, while with bended knee
To Jacob's God we pray:
How blest who calls himself thy friend!
Success his labour shall attend,
And safety guard his way.
O may'st thou, free from hostile fear,
Nor the loud voice of tumult hear,
Nor war's wild wastes deplore:
May plenty near thee take her stand,
And in thy courts with lavish hand
Distribute all her store.
Seat of my friends and brethren, hail!
How can my tongue, O Salem, fail
To bless thy lov'd abode?
How cease the zeal that in me glows
Thy good to seek, whose walls inclose
The mansion of my God?
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