Wherefore Do the Nations Rage?

Wherefore do the na­tions rage

And the people vain­ly dream

That in tri­umph they can wage

War against the King su­preme?

Christ His Son a scoff they make

And the rul­ers plot­ting say:

Their do­min­ion let us break

Let us cast their yoke away.

But the Lord will scorn them all

Calm He sits en­throned on high;

Soon His wrath will on them fall

Sore dis­pleased He will re­ply:

Yet ac­cord­ing to My will

I have set My King to reign

And on Zi­on’s ho­ly hill

Mine An­oint­ed I main­tain.

This His word shall be made known

This Je­ho­vah’s firm de­cree:

Thou art My be­lov­èd Son

Yea

I have be­got­ten Thee.

All the earth at Thy re­quest

I will give Thee for Thine own;

Then Thy might shall be con­fessed

And Thy foes be ov­er­thrown.

Therefore

kings

be wise

give ear;

Hearken

judg­es of the earth;

Learn to serve the Lord with fear

Mingle trem­bling with your mirth.

Kiss the Son

lest o’er your way

His con­sum­ing wrath should break;

But su­preme­ly blest are they

Who in Christ their re­fuge take.