1 Except the Lord do build the house,
the builders lose their pain:
Except the Lord the city keep,
the watchmen watch in vain.
2 ‘Tis vain for you to rise betimes,
or late from rest to keep,
To feed on sorrows’ bread; so gives
he his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are God’s heritage,
the womb’s fruit his reward.
4 The sons of youth as arrows are,
for strong men’s hands prepar’d.
5 O happy is the man that hath
his quiver fill’d with those;
They unashamed in the gate
shall speak unto their foes.
1 Bless’d is each one that fears the Lord,
and walketh in his ways;
2 For of thy labour thou shalt eat,
and happy be always.
3 Thy wife shall as a fruitful vine
by thy house’ sides be found:
Thy children like to olive-plants
about thy table round.
4 Behold, the man that fears the Lord,
thus blessed shall he be.
5 The Lord shall out of Sion give
his blessing unto thee:
Thou shalt Jerus’lem’s good behold
whilst thou on earth dost dwell.
6 Thou shalt thy children’s children see,
and peace on Israel.
1 Oft did they vex me from my youth,
may Isr’el now declare;
2 Oft did they vex me from my youth,
yet not victorious were.
3 The plowers plow’d upon my back;
they long their furrows drew.
4 The righteous Lord did cut the cords
of the ungodly crew.
5 Let Sion’s haters all be turn’d
back with confusion.
6 As grass on houses’ tops be they,
which fades ere it be grown:
7 Whereof enough to fill his hand
the mower cannot find;
Nor can the man his bosom fill,
whose work is sheaves to bind.
8 Neither say they who do go by,
God’s blessing on you rest:
We in the name of God the Lord
do wish you to be blest.
TUNE = Amazing Grace
1 I to the hills will lift mine eyes,
from whence doth come mine aid.
2 My safety cometh from the Lord,
who heav’n and earth hath made.
3 Thy foot he’ll not let slide, nor will
he slumber that thee keeps.
4 Behold, he that keeps Israel
he slumbers not, nor sleeps.
5 The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade
on thy right hand doth stay:
6 The moon by night thee shall not smite,
nor yet the sun by day.
7 The Lord shall keep thy soul; he shall
preserve thee from all ill.
8 Henceforth thy going out and in
God keep for ever will.
1 I joy’d when to the house of God,
Go up, they said to me.
2 Jerusalem, within thy gates
our feet shall standing be.
3 Jerus’lem, as a city, is
compactly built together:
4 Unto that place the tribes go up,
the tribes of God go thither:
To Isr’el’s testimony, there
to God’s name thanks to pay.
5 For thrones of judgment, ev’n the thrones
of David’s house, there stay.
6 Pray that Jerusalem may have
peace and felicity:
Let them that love thee and thy peace
have still prosperity.
7 Therefore I wish that peace may still
within thy walls remain,
And ever may thy palaces
prosperity retain.
8 Now, for my friends’ and brethren’s sakes,
Peace be in thee, I’ll say.
9 And for the house of God our Lord,
I’ll seek thy good alway.
1 They in the Lord that firmly trust
shall be like Sion hill,
Which at no time can be remov’d,
but standeth ever still.
2 As round about Jerusalem
the mountains stand alway,
The Lord his folk doth compass so,
from henceforth and for aye.
3 For ill men’s rod upon the lot
of just men shall not lie;
Lest righteous men stretch forth their hands
unto iniquity.
4 Do thou to all those that be good
thy goodness, Lord, impart;
And do thou good to those that are
upright within their heart.
5 But as for such as turn aside
after their crooked way,
God shall lead forth with wicked men:
on Isr’el peace shall stay.
TUNE = O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
1 When Sion’s bondage God turn’d back,
as men that dream’d were we.
2 Then fill’d with laughter was our mouth,
our tongue with melody:
They ‘mong the heathen said, The Lord
great things for them hath wrought.
3 The Lord hath done great things for us,
whence joy to us is brought.
4 As streams of water in the south,
our bondage, Lord, recall.
5 Who sow in tears, a reaping time
of joy enjoy they shall.
6 That man who, bearing precious seed,
in going forth doth mourn,
He doubtless, bringing back his sheaves,
rejoicing shall return.
Second Version (L.M.)
TUNE: Before the Throne of God Above
1 O Lord, thou art my God and King;
Thee will I magnify and praise:
I will thee bless, and gladly sing
Unto thy holy name always.
2 Each day I rise I will thee bless,
And praise thy name time without end.
3 Much to be prais’d, and great God is;
His greatness none can comprehend.
4 Race shall thy works praise unto race,
The mighty acts show done by thee.
5 I will speak of the glorious grace,
And honour of thy majesty;
Thy wondrous works I will record.
6 By men the might shall be extoll’d
Of all thy dreadful acts, O Lord:
And I thy greatness will unfold.
7 They utter shall abundantly
The mem’ry of thy goodness great;
And shall sing praises cheerfully,
Whilst they thy righteousness relate.
8 The Lord our God is gracious,
Compassionate is he also;
In mercy he is plenteous,
But unto wrath and anger slow.
9 Good unto all men is the Lord:
O’er all his works his mercy is.
10 Thy works all praise to thee afford:
Thy saints, O Lord, thy name shall bless.
11 The glory of thy kingdom show
Shall they, and of thy power tell:
12 That so men’s sons his deeds may know,
His kingdom’s grace that doth excel.
13 Thy kingdom hath none end at all,
It doth through ages all remain.
14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall,
The cast-down raiseth up again.
15 The eyes of all things, Lord, attend,
And on thee wait that here do live,
And thou, in season due, dost send
Sufficient food them to relieve.
16 Yea, thou thine hand dost open wide,
And ev’ry thing dost satisfy
That lives, and doth on earth abide,
Of thy great liberality.
17 The Lord is just in his ways all,
And holy in his works each one.
18 He’s near to all that on him call,
Who call in truth on him alone.
19 God will the just desire fulfil
Of such as do him fear and dread:
Their cry regard, and hear he will,
And save them in the time of need.
20 The Lord preserves all, more and less,
That bear to him a loving heart:
But workers all of wickedness
Destroy will he, and clean subvert.
21 Therefore my mouth and lips I’ll frame
To speak the praises of the Lord:
To magnify his holy name
For ever let all flesh accord.
First Version (C.M.)
1 I’ll thee extol, my God, O King;
I’ll bless thy name always.
2 Thee will I bless each day, and will
thy name for ever praise.
3 Great is the Lord, much to be prais’d;
his greatness search exceeds.
4 Race unto race shall praise thy works,
and shew thy mighty deeds.
5 I of thy glorious majesty
the honour will record;
I’ll speak of all thy mighty works,
which wondrous are, O Lord.
6 Men of thine acts the might shall show,
thine acts that dreadful are;
And I, thy glory to advance,
thy greatness will declare.
7 The mem’ry of thy goodness great
they largely shall express;
With songs of praise they shall extol
thy perfect righteousness.
8 The Lord is very gracious,
in him compassions flow;
In mercy he is very great,
and is to anger slow.
9 The Lord Jehovah unto all
his goodness doth declare;
And over all his other works
his tender mercies are.
10 Thee all thy works shall praise, O Lord,
and thee thy saints shall bless;
11 They shall thy kingdom’s glory show,
thy pow’r by speech express:
12 To make the sons of men to know
his acts done mightily,
And of his kingdom th’ excellent
and glorious majesty.
13 Thy kingdom shall for ever stand,
thy reign through ages all.
14 God raiseth all that are bow’d down,
upholdeth all that fall.
15 The eyes of all things wait on thee,
the giver of all good;
And thou, in time convenient,
bestow’st on them their food:
16 Thine hand thou open’st lib’rally,
and of thy bounty gives
Enough to satisfy the need
of ev’ry thing that lives.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways,
holy in his works all.
18 God’s near to all that call on him,
in truth that on him call.
19 He will accomplish the desire
of those that do him fear:
He also will deliver them,
and he their cry will hear.
20 The Lord preserves all who him love,
that nought can them annoy:
But he all those that wicked are
will utterly destroy.
21 My mouth the praises of the Lord
to publish cease shall never:
Let all flesh bless his holy name
for ever and for ever.
1 Praise God. The Lord praise, O my soul.
2 I’ll praise God while I live;
While I have being to my God
in songs I’ll praises give.
3 Trust not in princes, nor man’s son,
in whom there is no stay:
4 His breath departs, to’s earth he turns;
that day his thoughts decay.
5 O happy is that man and blest,
whom Jacob’s God doth aid;
Whose hope upon the Lord doth rest,
and on his God is stay’d:
6 Who made the earth and heavens high,
who made the swelling deep,
And all that is within the same;
who truth doth ever keep:
7 Who righteous judgment executes
for those oppress’d that be,
Who to the hungry giveth food;
God sets the pris’ners free.
8 The Lord doth give the blind their sight,
the bowed down doth raise:
The Lord doth dearly love all those
that walk in upright ways.
9 The stranger’s shield, the widow’s stay,
the orphan’s help, is he:
But yet by him the wicked’s way
turn’d upside down shall be.
10 The Lord shall reign for evermore:
thy God, O Sion, he
Reigns to all generations.
Praise to the Lord give ye.
1 Praise ye the Lord; for it is good
praise to our God to sing:
For it is pleasant, and to praise
it is a comely thing.
2 God doth build up Jerusalem;
and he it is alone
That the dispers’d of Israel
doth gather into one.
3 Those that are broken in their heart,
and grieved in their minds,
He healeth, and their painful wounds
he tenderly up-binds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names them ev’ry one.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great pow’r;
his wisdom search can none.
6 The Lord lifts up the meek; and casts
the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord, and give him thanks;
on harp his praises sound;
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8 Who covereth the heav’n with clouds,
who for the earth below
Prepareth rain, who maketh grass
upon the mountains grow.
9 He gives the beast his food, he feeds
the ravens young that cry.
10 His pleasure not in horses’ strength,
nor in man’s legs, doth lie.
11 But in all those that do him fear
the Lord doth pleasure take;
In those that to his mercy do
by hope themselves betake.
12 The Lord praise, O Jerusalem;
Sion, thy God confess:
13 For thy gates’ bars he maketh strong;
thy sons in thee doth bless.
14 He in thy borders maketh peace;
with fine wheat filleth thee.
15 He sends forth his command on earth,
his word runs speedily.
16 Hoar-frost, like ashes, scatt’reth he;
like wool he snow doth give:
17 Like morsels casteth forth his ice;
who in its cold can live?
18 He sendeth forth his mighty word,
and melteth them again;
His wind he makes to blow, and then
the waters flow amain.
19 The doctrine of his holy word
to Jacob he doth show;
His statutes and his judgments he
gives Israel to know.
20 To any nation never he
such favour did afford;
For they his judgments have not known.
O do ye praise the Lord.
Ekklesia Muskogee is a reformed baptist church that gathers for worship in Muskogee, Oklahoma. We confess the 1689 second London baptist confession of faith. We affirm the five solas of the Reformation as well as the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism), and each of our pastors would not be ashamed to be called a Calvinist. We are a church led by elders, of which there is a plurality (also called pastors and overseers in the Scriptures). Our mission is to make disciples, love cities, and plant churches.