Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us – Hymn Lyric
“Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us: A Cry for God’s Presence and Deliverance” explores the deep longing for God’s presence and deliverance in the midst of danger and uncertainty. The hymn expresses the frustration and confusion as to why God’s anger seems to burn against His own people. It serves as a timeless reminder that, despite the challenges we face, God is always with us, even when it feels like He is far away.
Table of Contents
Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us
Why art thou, Lord, so long from us
In all this danger deep?
Why doth thy anger kindle thus
At thy own pasture sheep?
Lord, call the people to thy thought,
Which have been thine so long,
The which thou hast redeem’d and brought
From bondage sore and strong.
Have mind therefore, and think upon,
Remember it full well,
Thy pleasant place, thy mount Sion,
Where thou wast wont to dwell.
Lift up thy feet and come in haste,
And all thy foes deface,
Who now at pleasure rob and waste
Within thy holy place.
Amidst thy congregations all
Thy foes do roar, O God;
They set as signs on ev’ry wall,
Banners display’d abroad:
As men with axes hew down trees,
That on the hills do grow,
So shine the bills and swords of these
Within thy temple now;
The ceiling fine, and carved boards,
With all the goodly stones,
With axes, hammers, bills and swords,
They beat them down at once:
Thy places they consume with flame,
Their rage doth so abound;
The house appointed to thy Name
They raze ev’n to the ground.
And thus they say within their heart,
Dispatch them out of hand:
Then burn they up in ev’ry part
God’s houses through the land.
Yet thou no sign of help dost send,
Our prophets all are gone,
To tell when this our plague shall end
Among us there is none.
How long, Lord, shall thy enemies
Thus boldly thee defame?
Shall they for evermore blaspheme
Thy great and holy Name?
Why dost thou thy right hand withdraw
From us so long away?
Out of thy bosom pluck it forth
With speed thy foes to slay.
The Second Part
O God, thou art our King and Lord,
And evermore hast been;
Yea, thy good grace throughout the world
For our great help is seen:
The seas, that are so deep and dead,
Thy might did make them dry,
And thou didst break the serpent’s head,
That he therein did die:
Yea, thou didst break the beads so great
Of whales that are most fell.
And gav’st them to the folk to eat
That in the deserts dwell.
Thou mad’st a spring with streams to rise
From rocks both hard and high,
Thy mighty hand hath made likewise
Deep waters to be dry.
Both day and night also are thine,
By thee they were began;
And thou likewise prepared hast
The light of moon and sun:
Thou didst appoint the ends and coasts
Of all the earth about,
Both summer heats and winter frosts
Thy hand hath found them out.
Think on, O Lord, no time forget
Thy foes, that thee defame,
And how the foolish folk are set
To rail upon thy Name.
Deliver not the soul, O Lord,
Of thine own turtle dove
Into their hands, but help afford
The poor, whom thou dost love.
Regard, O Lord, thy covenant,
Behold our misery;
All the dark places of the earth
Are full of cruelty:
Let not the simple man therefore
Be turned back with shame;
But let the needy evermore
Give praise unto thy Name.
Arise, O Lord, and plead thy cause
Against thy enemies,
Who daily do reject thy laws,
And them with scorn despise;
The voice forget not of thy foes,
For the presumption high
Is more and more increas’d of those,
That hate thee spitefully.
Meaning of Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us – Hymn Lyric
Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us: A Cry for God’s Presence and Deliverance
In the midst of danger and uncertainty, we find ourselves questioning why the Lord seems distant. The hymn “Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us” expresses the heartfelt plea of the people, wondering why God’s anger seems to burn against them, His own flock. This hymn, though written in a different time and context, captures the universal human experience of longing for God’s presence and deliverance.
The hymn begins by calling upon the Lord to remember His people. The author implores God to have “mind therefore, and think upon” the ones He has redeemed and brought out of bondage. It evokes a sense of nostalgia for the days when God dwelt in His pleasant place, Mount Zion. The people long for God to return, to lift up His feet and come in haste, to deface their enemies and put an end to their wickedness within His holy place.
The hymn vividly describes the turmoil and destruction the enemy has brought upon the people. They roar like lions in the midst of God’s congregations, setting signs and banners as a display of their victory. This imagery may resonate with those who have experienced the ravages of war or spiritual conflict, where the enemy seems to have the upper hand. Just as men with axes hew down trees, the enemies have beaten down the temple and consumed it with flame. The once glorious house of God is now in ruins.
Amidst the destruction, the people cry out to God asking why He has not sent them any signs of help. Their prophets are gone, and they long for someone to tell them when their suffering will end. They plead with God, asking how long the enemies will blaspheme His great and holy Name. The hymn implores God to take action, to pluck forth His right hand from His bosom and swiftly defeat their foes.
The second part of the hymn shifts its focus to praising God for His past acts of deliverance. It reminds the people that God is their King and Lord, who has always been there for them. It recalls how God’s might caused the seas to dry up and the serpent’s head to be crushed. Even the terrifying beasts of the deep, like whales, were made sustenance for those dwelling in the desert. The hymn recounts how God provided water from rocks and made even deep waters dry. It highlights God’s role as the creator of day and night, the one who established the light of the moon and sun. God’s power is seen in His ability to shape and control the entire earth, determining its ends and seasons.
As the hymn continues, it begs God to remember the enemies who defame His Name. The author pleads with God not to deliver the soul of His own people into the hands of their enemies but instead to help the poor and needy. The hymn acknowledges the cruelty that exists in the world and asks God to intervene on behalf of the oppressed. It encourages God to rise up and plead His cause against those who reject His laws and scorn His people. The voice of the enemies should not be forgotten, for their arrogance and hatred towards God are increasing.
In conclusion, “Why Art Thou Lord So Long From Us” is a passionate cry for God’s presence and deliverance. It reflects the longing and frustration of the people as they endure adversity and attack from their enemies. This hymn serves as a reminder that throughout history, humanity has grappled with these same questions and longings, seeking solace and reassurance in the faithfulness of God. Whether facing personal struggles or societal challenges, we can find comfort in knowing that God is always with us, even in the moments when it feels like He is far away.
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