For ever, Lord, I’ll sing your love

For ever, Lord, i’ll sing your love,
your faithfulness make known;
all generations shall be told
your king is on the throne,
your covenant with David stands
for ever as your own:
all praise from the angels on high,
wonderful God!
For who can compare with the Lord?

2. You rule the surging ocean tides
and calm the crashing waves,
you crushed the dragons of the deep
and sent them to their graves,
so heaven and earth which you have made
shall bless the God who saves:
and praise from the north and the south,
mountain and hill;
your hand and your arm have prevailed.

3. As righteousness and justice are
foundations for your reign;
as faithfulness and love march on
and shall with you remain;
so none who learn to walk with you
will ever trust in vain:
so praise be to God from his saints,
people and prince,
for you are their glory and strength.

4. In visions once you spoke to us,
‘My gift of strength I bring;
my servant David I have found,
anointed him as king;
my hand will give him victory,
my praises he will sing’:
loud praise from the ends of the earth;
enemies fall
and rebels will perish and die.

5. ‘His hand I set above the sea,
the rivers he shall guide;
he calls me Father, God my rock,
I call him to my side,
appointing him as my firstborn,
supremely glorified’:
high praise for the promise of God-
covenant-love,
eternally true and secure!

6. ‘And if his sons forsake my law,
despising my decrees,
then I shall use my rod of power
to bring them to their knees;
yet never shall I change my mind
or break my guarantees’:
we praise for the throne that endures
longer than time,
more firm than the moon or the sun.

7. But, Lord, on your anointed one
your wrath has now come down;
the covenant is set aside
and fallen is the crown;
his wars are lost, his walls destroyed,
and gone is his renown:
our praise has been turned into shame,
glory to grief,
the days of his splendour are past.

8. How long, O Lord? Is it for ever
you have turned away?
How brief and empty are our lives
that blossom for a day!
Remember, Lord, your promised love
for David’s sake, we pray!
Then praise be to God for his grace,
keeping his word
for ever and ever: Amen!