Why Dost Thou Stand Afar?

Why dost Thou stand afar

O Lord

in our dis­tress?

And why dost Thou con­ceal Thy­self

When troub­lous times op­press?

Do Thou

O Lord

arise;

O God

lift up Thy hand;

Forget Thou not the suf­fer­ing poor

The hum­ble in the land.

Their foes Thou dost be­hold

Their wrongs Thou wilt re­pay;

The poor com­mit them­selves to Thee

Thou art the or­phans’ stay.

Thou

Lord

hast heard their pray­er

When hum­ble hearts drew nigh;

Thou also wilt re­vive their strength

And ev­er hear their cry.

Defend the fa­ther­less

And all who are op­pressed

That they by hu­man pride and pow­er

May be no more dis­tressed.