Judges, Who Rule the World by Laws

Judges

who rule the world by laws

Will ye des­pise the right­eous cause

When th’in­jured poor be­fore you stands?

Dare ye con­demn the right­eous poor

And let rich sin­ners ’scape se­cure

When gold and great­ness bribe your hands?

Have ye for­got

or nev­er knew

That God will judge the judg­es

too?

High in the heav’ns His jus­tice reigns;

Yet you in­vade the rights of God

And send your bold de­crees abroad

To bind the con­science in your chains.

A poi­soned ar­row is your tongue

The ar­row sharp

the poi­son strong

And death at­tends where’er it wounds:

You hear no coun­sels

cries

or tears;

So the deaf ad­der stops her ears

Against the pow­er of charm­ing sounds.

Break out their teeth

eter­nal God

Those teeth of li­ons dyed in blood;

And crush the ser­pents in the dust;

As emp­ty chaff

when whirl­winds rise

Before the sweep­ing tem­pests flies

So let their hopes and names be lost.

Th’Almigh­ty thun­ders from the sky

Their gran­deur mel­ts

their ti­tles die

As hills of snow dis­solve and run.

Or snails that per­ish in their slime

Or births that come be­fore their time

Vain births

that nev­er see the sun.

Thus shall the ven­geance of the Lord

Safety and joy to saints af­ford;

And all that hear shall join and say

Sure there’s a God that rules on high

A God that hears His child­ren cry

And will their suf­fer­ings well re­pay.