Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Lord, thou hast been our refuge

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Lord, thou hast been our refuge (1921)

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home.

Lord, thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting and world without end. Thou turnest man to destruction; again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men; For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, seeing that is past as a watch in the night.

As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green and groweth up, but in the evening it is cut down, dried up and withered. For we consume away in thy displeasure, and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation. For when thou art angry all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told. The years of our age are three-score years and ten, and though men be so strong that they come to four-score years, yet is their strength but labour and sorrow: so passeth it away and we are gone. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last. Be gracious unto thy servants. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon. So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Lord, thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting and world without end.

And the glorious Majesty of the Lord be upon us. Prosper thou the work of our hands, O prosper thou our handiwork.

Words: Psalm 90
Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)