MY PEOPLE, GIVE EAR, ATTEND TO MY WORD

From Psalm 78

My people, give ear, attend to my word,
In parables new deep truths shall be heard;
The wonderful story our fathers made known
To children succeeding by us must be shown.

Instructing our sons we gladly record
The praises, the works, the might of the Lord,
For he has commanded that what he has done
Be passed in tradition from father to son.

Let children thus learn from history's light
To hope in our God and walk in his sight,
The God of their fathers to fear and obey,
And ne'er like their fathers to turn from his way.

The story be told, to warn and restrain,
Of hearts that were hard, rebellions, and vain,
Of soldiers who faltered when battle was near,
Who kept not God's cov'nant nor walked in his fear.

God's wonderful works to them he had shown,
His marvelous deeds their fathers had known;
He made for their pathway the waters divide,
His glorious pillar of cloud was their guide.

Unharmed through the sea, where perished their foe,
He caused them with ease and safety to go;
His holy land gaining, in peace they were brought
To dwell in the mountain the Lord's hand had bought.

He gave them the land, a heritage fair;
The nations that dwelt in wickedness there
He drove out before them with great overthrow,
And gave to his people the tents of the foe.

His servant he called, a shepherd of sheep,
From tending his flock, the people to keep;
So David, their shepherd, with wisdom and might
Protected and fed them and led them aright.