O What a Stiff, Rebellious House

O what a stiff re­bel­li­ous house

Was Jacob’s an­cient race!

False to their own most so­lemn vows

And to their mak­er’s grace.

They broke the co­ve­nant of His love

And did His laws des­pise;

Forgot the works He wrought to prove

His pow­er be­fore their eyes.

They saw the plagues on Egypt light

From His re­veng­ing hand;

What dread­ful tok­ens of His might

Spread o’er the stub­born land!

They saw Him cleave the migh­ty sea

And marched in safe­ty through

With wa­te­ry walls to guard their way

Till they es­caped the foe.

A won­drous pil­lar marked the road

Composed of shade and light;

By day it proved a shel­ter­ing cloud

A lead­ing fire by night.

He from the rock their thirst sup­plied;

The gush­ing wa­ters fell

And ran in riv­ers by their side

A con­stant mi­ra­cle.

Yet they pro­voked the Lord most high

And dared dis­trust His hand:

Can He with bread our host sup­ply

Amidst this de­sert land?

The Lord with in­dig­na­tion heard

And caused His wrath to flame;

His ter­rors ev­er stand pre­pared

To vin­di­cate His name.