As Birds Their Infant Brood Protect

As birds their in­fant brood pro­tect

And spread their wings to shel­ter them

Thus saith the Lord to His elect

So will I guard Je­ru­sa­lem.

And what then is Je­ru­sa­lem

This dar­ling ob­ject of His cares?

Where is its worth in God’s es­teem?

Who built it? Who in­ha­bits there?

Jehovah found­ed it in blood

The blood of His in­car­nate Son;

There dwell the saints

once foes to God

The sin­ners whom He calls His own.

There

though be­sieged on ev­ery side

Yet much be­loved and guard­ed well

From age to age they have de­fied

The ut­most force of earth and hell.

Let earth re­pent

and hell des­pair

This ci­ty has a sure de­fense;

Her name is called

The Lord is there

And who has pow­er to drive Him hence?