Charles Wesley
(1707-1788)
26There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. 28Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. — Deuteronomy 33:26-29 KJV
None is like Jeshurun’s1 God,
So great, so strong, so high.
Lo! He spreads His wings abroad,
He rides upon the sky!
Israel is His first-born son;
God, th’ Almighty God is thine;
See Him to thy help come down,
The excellence divine.
Thee the great Jehovah deigns
To succour and defend;
Thee the eternal God sustains,
Thy Maker and thy Friend.
Israel, what hast thou to dread?
Safe from all impending harms,
Round thee and beneath are spread
The everlasting arms.
God is thine; disdain to fear
The enemy within.
God shall in thy flesh appear
And make an end of sin;
God the man of sin shall slay,
Fill thee with triumphant joy;
God shall thrust him out, and say,
“Destroy them all, destroy!”
All the struggle then is o’er,
And wars and fightings cease;
Israel then shall sin no more,
But dwell in perfect peace.
All his enemies are gone,
Sin shall have in him no part;
Israel now shall dwell alone
With Jesus in his heart.2
In a land of corn and wine
His lot shall be below;
Comforts there and blessings join
And milk and honey flow:
Jacob’s well is in his soul;
Gracious dew his heavens distill,
Fill his soul, already full,
And shall forever fill.
Blest, O Israel, art thou!
What people is like thee?
Saved from sin, by Jesus, now
Thou art, and still shalt be;
Jesus is thy seven-fold shield,
Jesus is thy flaming sword;
Earth and hell and sin shall yield
To God’s almighty Word.