1 Now Israel may say, and that truly, If that the Lord had not our cause maintained; 2 If that the Lord had not our right sustained, When cruel men who us desired to slay Rose up in wrath, to make of us their prey; 3 Then certainly they had devoured us all, And swallowed quick, for ought that we could deem; Such was their rage, as we might well esteem. 4 And as fierce floods before them all things drown, So had they brought our soul to death quite down. 5 The raging streams, with their proud swelling waves, Had then our soul o'erwhelmed in the deep. 6 But blessed be God, who doth us safely keep, And gave us not a living prey to be Unto their teeth and bloody cruelty. 7 Even as a bird out of the fowler's snare Escapes away, so is our soul set free: Rent is their net, and thus escaped we. 8 Therefore our help is in the Lord's great name, Who heaven and earth by his great pow'r did frame.