Scottish Psalter (1650)

1 Great is the Lord, and greatly he
is to be praised still,
Within the city of our God,
upon his holy hill.

2 Mount Zion stands most beautiful,
the joy of all the land;
The city of the mighty King
on her north side doth stand.

3 The Lord within her palaces
is for a refuge known.
4 For, lo, the kings that gathered were
together, by have gone.

5 But when they did behold the same,
they, wond'ring, would not stay;
But, being troubled at the sight,
they thence did haste away.

6 Great terror there took hold on them;
they were possessed with fear;
Their grief came like a woman's pain,
when she a child doth bear.

7 Thou Tarshish ships with east wind break'st:
8 As we have heard it told,
So, in the city of the Lord,
our eyes did it behold;

In our God's city, which his hand
for ever stablish will.
9 We of thy loving-kindness thought,
Lord, in thy temple still.

10 O Lord, according to thy name,
through all the earth's thy praise;
And thy right hand, O Lord, is full
of righteousness always.

11 Because thy judgments are made known,
let Zion mount rejoice;
Of Judah let the daughters all
send forth a cheerful voice.

12 Walk about Zion, and go round;
the high tow'rs thereof tell:
13 Consider ye her palaces,
and mark her bulwarks well;

That ye may tell posterity.
14 For this God doth abide
Our God for evermore; he will
ev'n unto death us guide.

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