Composed the 5th of November, 1694.
1 Shout to the Lord, and let our joys Thro' the whole nation run; Ye British skies, resound the noise Beyond the rising sun.
2 Thee, mighty God, our souls admire, Thee our glad voices sing, And join with the celestial choir To praise th' eternal King.
3 Thy power the whole creation rules, And on the starry skies Sits smiling at the weak designs Thine envious foes devise.
4 Thy scorn derides their feeble rage, And with an awful frown Flings vast confusion on their plots, And shakes their Babel down.
5 [Their secret fires in caverns lay, And we the sacrifice: But gloomy caverns strove in vain To 'scape all-searching eyes.
6 Their dark designs were all reveal'd, Their treasons all betray'd: Praise to the God that broke the snare Their cursed hands had laid.]
7 In vain the busy sons of hell Still new rebellions try, Their souls shall pine with envious rage, And vex away and die.
8 Almighty grace defends our land From their malicious power, Let Britain with united songs Almighty grace adore.