Defend Me, Lord, from Shame (Tate & Brady)

Defend me

Lord

from shame

For still I trust in Thee:

As just and right­eous is Thy name

From dan­ger set me free.

Bow down Thy gra­cious ear

And speedy suc­cor send:

Do Thou my stead­fast rock ap­pear

To shel­ter and de­fend.

Since Thou

when foes op­press

My rock and fort­ress art

To guide me forth from this dis­tress

Thy wont­ed help im­part.

Release me from the snare

Which they have close­ly laid;

Since I

O God my strength re­pair

To Thee alone for aid.

To Thee

the God of truth

My life

and all that’s mine

(For Thou pre­served me from my youth

)

I will­ing­ly resign.

All vain de­signs I hate

Of those that trust in lies:

And still my soul

in ev­ery state

To God for suc­cor flies.

Those mer­cies Thou hast shown

I’ll cheer­ful­ly ex­press;

For Thou hast seen my straits

and know

My soul in deep dis­tress.

When Kei­lah’s trea­cher­ous race

Did all my strength en­close

Thou gav’st my feet a larg­er space

To shun my watch­ful foes.

Thy mer­cy

Lord

dis­play

And hear my just com­plaint;

For both my soul and flesh de­cay

With grief and hun­ger faint.

Sad thoughts my life op­press;

My years are spent in groans;

My sins have made my strength de­crease

And e’en con­sumed my bones.

My foes my suf­fer­ings mocked

My neigh­bors did up­braid;

My friends

at sight of me

were shocked

And fled

as men dis­mayed.

Forsook by all am I

As dead

and out of mind;

And like a shat­tered ves­sel lie

Whose parts can ne’er be joined.

Yet slan­der­ous words they speak

And seem my pow­er to dread;

Whilst they to­ge­ther coun­sel take

My guilt­less blood to shed.

But still my stead­fast trust

I on Thy help re­pose:

That Thou

my God

art good and just

My soul with com­fort knows.

Whate’er ev­ents be­tide

Thy wis­dom times them all:

Then

Lord

Thy serv­ant safe­ly hide

From those that seek his fall.

The bright­ness of Thy face

To me

O Lord

dis­close;

And

as Thy mer­cies still in­crease

Preserve me from my foes.

Me from dis­hon­or save

Who still have called on Thee;

Let that

and si­lence in the grave

The sin­ner’s por­tion be.

Do Thou their tongues re­strain;

Whose breath in lies is spent;

Who false re­ports

with proud dis­dain

Against the right­eous vent.

How great Thy mer­cies are

To such as fear Thy name;

Which Thou

for those that trust Thy care

Dost to the world pro­claim!

Thou keep’st them in Thy sight

From proud op­press­ors free:

From tongues that do in strife de­light

They are pre­served by Thee.

With glo­ry and re­nown

God’s name be ev­er blessed;

Whose love as Kei­lah’s well-fenced town

Was won­drous­ly ex­pressed!

I said

in has­ty flight

I’m ban­ished from Thine eyes;

Yet still Thou kept me in Thy sight

And heard my ear­nest cries.

O! all ye saints

the Lord

With ea­ger love pur­sue;

Who to the just will help af­ford

And give the proud their due.

Ye that on God re­ly

Courageously pro­ceed;

For He will still your hearts sup­ply

With strength

in time of need.