God! The Eternal, Awful Name

God! the eter­nal

aw­ful name

That the whole heav’n­ly ar­my fears

That shakes the wide cre­ation’s frame

And Sa­tan trem­bles when he hears.

Like flames of fire His serv­ants are

And light sur­rounds His dwell­ing place;

But

O ye fie­ry flames! de­clare

The bright­er glor­ies of His face.

’Tis not for such poor worms as we

To speak so in­fi­nite a thing;

But your im­mor­tal eyes sur­vey

The beau­ties of your sov­er­eign king.

Tell how He shows His smil­ing face

And clothes all Heav’n in bright ar­ray;

Triumph and joy run through the place

And songs eter­nal as the day.

Speak

for you feel His burn­ing love

What zeal it spreads through all your frame;

That sac­red fire dwells all ab­ove

For we on earth have lost the name.

Sing of His pow­er and jus­tice too

That in­fi­nite right hand of His

That van­quished Sa­tan and his crew

And thun­der drove them down from bliss.

What migh­ty storms of poi­soned darts

Were hurled up­on the re­bels there!

What dead­ly ja­ve­lins nailed their hearts

Fast to the racks of long des­pair!

Shout to your king

ye heav’n­ly host

You that be­held the sink­ing foe;

Firmly ye stood when they were lost:

Praise the rich grace that kept you so.

Proclaim His won­ders from the skies

Let ev­ery dis­tant na­tion hear;

And while you sound His lof­ty praise

Let hum­ble mor­tals bow and fear.