{"slug": "thee-will-i-love-o-lord-my-strength", "title": "Thee Will I Love, O Lord, My Strength", "first_line": "Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength", "author_source": "Scottish Psalter, 1650", "foot": "iambic", "meter": {"pattern": [8, 6, 8, 6], "doubled": false, "refrain": false, "alleluia": false, "irregular": false}, "psalm": 18, "topics": ["Psalms"], "scripture": ["Psalm 18"], "provenance": {"layer": "text", "source": "scottish-psalter-1650", "source_kind": "open_encoding", "encoding_origin": "reformed-standards/compendium (cross-verified against thewestminsterstandard.org)", "pd_basis": "pub_pre_1931", "pd_evidence": "The Psalms of David in Metre (Scottish Psalter), 1650 \u2014 Psalm 18. Committee versification (Rous revision); all contributors d. before 1700. Imported by tools/psalter_import.py: transcription cross-verified word-for-word against an independent edition; every line machine-scanned to the metre.", "pd_jurisdictions": {"US": true}}, "stanzas": {"1": {"syllabified": "Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength. My for -- tress is the Lord, My rock, and he that doth to me de -- liv -- er -- ance af -- ford:", "prose": ["Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.", "My fortress is the Lord,", "My rock, and he that doth to me", "deliverance afford:"]}, "2": {"syllabified": "My God, my strength, whom I will trust, a buck -- ler un -- to me, The horn of my sal -- va -- ti -- on, and my high tow'r, is he.", "prose": ["My God, my strength, whom I will trust,", "a buckler unto me,", "The horn of my salvation,", "and my high tow'r, is he."]}, "3": {"syllabified": "Up -- on the Lord, who wor -- thy is of prais -- es, will I cry; And then shall I pre -- serv -- ed be safe from mine en -- e -- my.", "prose": ["Upon the Lord, who worthy is", "of praises, will I cry;", "And then shall I preserved be", "safe from mine enemy."]}, "4": {"syllabified": "Floods of ill men af -- fright -- ed me, death's pangs a -- bout me went; Hell's sor -- rows me en -- vi -- ron -- ed; death's snares did me pre -- vent.", "prose": ["Floods of ill men affrighted me,", "death's pangs about me went;", "Hell's sorrows me environed;", "death's snares did me prevent."]}, "5": {"syllabified": "In my dis -- tress I called on God, cry to my God did I; He from his tem -- ple heard my voice, to his ears came my cry.", "prose": ["In my distress I called on God,", "cry to my God did I;", "He from his temple heard my voice,", "to his ears came my cry."]}, "6": {"syllabified": "Th'earth, as af -- fright -- ed, then did shake, trem -- bling up -- on it seized: The hills' foun -- da -- tions mov -- ed were, be -- cause he was dis -- pleased.", "prose": ["Th' earth, as affrighted, then did shake,", "trembling upon it seized:", "The hills' foundations moved were,", "because he was displeased."]}, "7": {"syllabified": "Up from his nos -- trils came a smoke, and from his mouth there came De -- vour -- ing fire, and coals by it were turn -- ed in -- to flame.", "prose": ["Up from his nostrils came a smoke,", "and from his mouth there came", "Devouring fire, and coals by it", "were turned into flame."]}, "8": {"syllabified": "He al -- so bow -- ed down the heav'ns, and thence he did de -- scend; And thick -- est clouds of dark -- ness did un -- der his feet at -- tend.", "prose": ["He also bowed down the heav'ns,", "and thence he did descend;", "And thickest clouds of darkness did", "under his feet attend."]}, "9": {"syllabified": "And he up -- on a cher -- ub rode, and there -- on he did fly; Yea, on the swift wings of the wind his flight was from on high.", "prose": ["And he upon a cherub rode,", "and thereon he did fly;", "Yea, on the swift wings of the wind", "his flight was from on high."]}, "10": {"syllabified": "He dark -- ness made his se -- cret place: a -- bout him, for his tent, Dark wa -- ters were, and thick -- est clouds of th'ai -- ry fir -- ma -- ment.", "prose": ["He darkness made his secret place:", "about him, for his tent,", "Dark waters were, and thickest clouds", "of th' airy firmament."]}, "11": {"syllabified": "And at the bright -- ness of that light, which was be -- fore his eye, His thick clouds passed a -- way, hail -- stones and coals of fire did fly.", "prose": ["And at the brightness of that light,", "which was before his eye,", "His thick clouds passed away, hailstones", "and coals of fire did fly."]}, "12": {"syllabified": "The Lord God al -- so in the heav'ns did thun -- der in his ire; And there the High -- est gave his voice, hail -- stones and coals of fire.", "prose": ["The Lord God also in the heav'ns", "did thunder in his ire;", "And there the Highest gave his voice,", "hailstones and coals of fire."]}, "13": {"syllabified": "Yea, he his ar -- rows sent a -- broad, and them he scat -- ter -- ed; His light -- nings al -- so he shot out, and them dis -- com -- fit -- ed.", "prose": ["Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,", "and them he scattered;", "His lightnings also he shot out,", "and them discomfited."]}, "14": {"syllabified": "The wa -- ters' chan -- nels then were seen, the world's foun -- da -- tions vast At thy re -- buke dis -- cov -- ered were, and at thy nos -- trils' blast.", "prose": ["The waters' channels then were seen,", "the world's foundations vast", "At thy rebuke discovered were,", "and at thy nostrils' blast."]}, "15": {"syllabified": "And from a -- bove the Lord sent down, and took me from be -- low; From man -- y wa -- ters he me drew, which would me o -- ver -- flow.", "prose": ["And from above the Lord sent down,", "and took me from below;", "From many waters he me drew,", "which would me overflow."]}, "16": {"syllabified": "He me re -- lieved from my strong foes, and such as did me hate; Be -- cause he saw that they for me too strong were, and too great.", "prose": ["He me relieved from my strong foes,", "and such as did me hate;", "Because he saw that they for me", "too strong were, and too great."]}, "17": {"syllabified": "They me pre -- vent -- ed in the day of my ca -- lam -- i -- ty; But e -- ven then the Lord him -- self a stay was un -- to me.", "prose": ["They me prevented in the day", "of my calamity;", "But even then the Lord himself", "a stay was unto me."]}, "18": {"syllabified": "He to a place where lib -- er -- ty and room was hath me brought; Be -- cause he took de -- light in me, he my de -- liv -- 'rance wrought.", "prose": ["He to a place where liberty", "and room was hath me brought;", "Because he took delight in me,", "he my deliv'rance wrought."]}, "19": {"syllabified": "Ac -- cord -- ing to my right -- eous -- ness he did me rec -- om -- pense, He me re -- paid ac -- cord -- ing to my hands' pure in -- no -- cence.", "prose": ["According to my righteousness", "he did me recompense,", "He me repaid according to", "my hands' pure innocence."]}, "20": {"syllabified": "For I God's ways kept, from my God did not turn wick -- ed -- ly. His judg -- ments were be -- fore me, I his laws put not from me.", "prose": ["For I God's ways kept, from my God", "did not turn wickedly.", "His judgments were before me, I", "his laws put not from me."]}, "21": {"syllabified": "Sin -- cere be -- fore him was my heart; with him up -- right was I; And watch -- ful -- ly I kept my -- self from mine in -- iq -- ui -- ty.", "prose": ["Sincere before him was my heart;", "with him upright was I;", "And watchfully I kept myself", "from mine iniquity."]}, "22": {"syllabified": "Af -- ter my right -- eous -- ness the Lord hath rec -- om -- pens -- ed me, Af -- ter the clean -- ness of my hands ap -- pear -- ing in his eye.", "prose": ["After my righteousness the Lord", "hath recompensed me,", "After the cleanness of my hands", "appearing in his eye."]}, "23": {"syllabified": "Thou gra -- cious to the gra -- cious art, to up -- right men up -- right: Pure to the pure, fro -- ward thou kyth'st un -- to the fro -- ward wight.", "prose": ["Thou gracious to the gracious art,", "to upright men upright:", "Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'st", "unto the froward wight."]}, "24": {"syllabified": "For thou wilt the af -- flic -- ted save in grief that low do lie: But wilt bring down the coun -- ten -- ance of them whose looks are high.", "prose": ["For thou wilt the afflicted save", "in grief that low do lie:", "But wilt bring down the countenance", "of them whose looks are high."]}, "25": {"syllabified": "The Lord will light my cand -- le so, that it shall shine full bright: The Lord my God will al -- so make my dark -- ness to be light.", "prose": ["The Lord will light my candle so,", "that it shall shine full bright:", "The Lord my God will also make", "my darkness to be light."]}, "26": {"syllabified": "By thee through troops of men I break, and them dis -- com -- fit all; And, by my God as -- sist -- ing me, I o -- ver -- leap a wall.", "prose": ["By thee through troops of men I break,", "and them discomfit all;", "And, by my God assisting me,", "I overleap a wall."]}, "27": {"syllabified": "As for God, per -- fect is his way: the Lord his word is tried; He is a buck -- ler to all those who do in him con -- fide.", "prose": ["As for God, perfect is his way:", "the Lord his word is tried;", "He is a buckler to all those", "who do in him confide."]}, "28": {"syllabified": "Who but the Lord is God? but he who is a rock and stay? 'Tis God that gird -- eth me with strength, and per -- fect makes my way.", "prose": ["Who but the Lord is God? but he", "who is a rock and stay?", "'Tis God that girdeth me with strength,", "and perfect makes my way."]}, "29": {"syllabified": "He made my feet swift as the hinds, set me on my high plac -- es. Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms brake bows of steel in piec -- es.", "prose": ["He made my feet swift as the hinds,", "set me on my high places.", "Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms", "brake bows of steel in pieces."]}, "30": {"syllabified": "The shield of thy sal -- va -- ti -- on thou didst on me be -- stow: Thy right hand held me up, and great thy kind -- ness made me grow.", "prose": ["The shield of thy salvation", "thou didst on me bestow:", "Thy right hand held me up, and great", "thy kindness made me grow."]}, "31": {"syllabified": "And in my way my steps thou hast en -- larg -- ed un -- der me, That I go safe -- ly, and my feet are kept from slid -- ing free.", "prose": ["And in my way my steps thou hast", "enlarged under me,", "That I go safely, and my feet", "are kept from sliding free."]}, "32": {"syllabified": "Mine en -- 'mies I pur -- su -- ed have, and did them o -- ver -- take; Nor did I turn a -- gain till I an end of them did make.", "prose": ["Mine en'mies I pursued have,", "and did them overtake;", "Nor did I turn again till I", "an end of them did make."]}, "33": {"syllabified": "I woun -- ded them, they could not rise; they at my feet did fall. Thou gird -- est me with strength for war; my foes thou brought'st down all:", "prose": ["I wounded them, they could not rise;", "they at my feet did fall.", "Thou girdest me with strength for war;", "my foes thou brought'st down all:"]}, "34": {"syllabified": "And thou hast giv'n to me the necks of all mine en -- e -- mies; That I might them de -- stroy and slay, who did a -- gainst me rise.", "prose": ["And thou hast giv'n to me the necks", "of all mine enemies;", "That I might them destroy and slay,", "who did against me rise."]}, "35": {"syllabified": "They cri -- ed out, but there was none that would or could them save; Yea, they did cry un -- to the Lord, but he no an -- swer gave.", "prose": ["They cried out, but there was none", "that would or could them save;", "Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,", "but he no answer gave."]}, "36": {"syllabified": "Then did I beat them small as dust be -- fore the wind that flies; And I did cast them out like dirt up -- on the street that lies.", "prose": ["Then did I beat them small as dust", "before the wind that flies;", "And I did cast them out like dirt", "upon the street that lies."]}, "37": {"syllabified": "Thou mad'st me free from peo -- ple's strife, and hea -- then's head to be: A peo -- ple whom I have not known shall ser -- vice do to me.", "prose": ["Thou mad'st me free from people's strife,", "and heathen's head to be:", "A people whom I have not known", "shall service do to me."]}, "38": {"syllabified": "At hear -- ing they shall me o -- bey, to me they shall sub -- mit. Stran -- gers for fear shall fade a -- way, who in close plac -- es sit.", "prose": ["At hearing they shall me obey,", "to me they shall submit.", "Strangers for fear shall fade away,", "who in close places sit."]}, "39": {"syllabified": "God lives, bless'd be my Rock; the God of my health prais -- ed be. God doth a -- venge me, and sub -- dues the peo -- ple un -- der me.", "prose": ["God lives, bless'd be my Rock; the God", "of my health praised be.", "God doth avenge me, and subdues", "the people under me."]}, "40": {"syllabified": "He saves me from mine en -- e -- mies; yea, thou hast lift -- ed me A -- bove my foes; and from the man of vi -- 'lence set me free.", "prose": ["He saves me from mine enemies;", "yea, thou hast lifted me", "Above my foes; and from the man", "of vi'lence set me free."]}, "41": {"syllabified": "There -- fore to thee will I give thanks the hea -- then folk a -- mong; And to thy name, O Lord, I will sing prais -- es in a song.", "prose": ["Therefore to thee will I give thanks", "the heathen folk among;", "And to thy name, O Lord, I will", "sing praises in a song."]}, "42": {"syllabified": "He great de -- liv -- 'rance gives his king: he mer -- cy doth ex -- tend To Da -- vid, his a -- noint -- ed one, and his seed with -- out end.", "prose": ["He great deliv'rance gives his king:", "he mercy doth extend", "To David, his anointed one,", "and his seed without end."]}}, "license": "The hymn texts and tunes are in the public domain; per-layer provenance is recorded on each record."}