J EHOVAH is great, and great be his praise;
In the city of God He is King;
Proclaim ye his triumphs in jubilant lays,
On the mount of his holiness sing.

The joy of the earth, from her beautiful height,
Is Zion's impregnable hill;
The Lord in her temple still taketh delight,
God reigns in her palaces still.

At the sight of her splendour, the kings of the earth
Grew pale with amazement and dread;
Fear seized them like pangs of a premature birth;
They came, they beheld her, and fled.

Thou breakest the ships from the sea-circled climes,
When the storm of thy jealousy lowers;
As our fathers have told of thy deeds, in their times,
So, Lord, have we witness'd in ours.

In the midst of thy temple, O God! hath our mind
Remember'd thy mercy of old;
Let thy name, like thy praise, to no realm be confined;
Thy power may all nations behold.

Let the daughters of Judah be glad for thy love,
The mountain of Zion rejoice,
For Thou wilt establish her seat from above,
— Wilt make her the throne of thy choice.

Go, walk about Zion, and measure the length,
Her walls and her bulwarks mark well;
Contemplate her palaces, glorious in strength,
Her towers and their pinnacles tell.

Then say to your children: — Our strong-hold is tried;
This God is our God to the end;
His people for ever his counsels shall guide,
His arm shall for ever defend.