The Lord th' eternal Father spake
To Christ the Lord; "ascend and sit
"At my right hand, 'till I shall make
"Thy foes submissive at thy feet.

2 "From Sion shall thy word proceed,
"Thy word, the sceptre in thy hand,
"Shall make the hearts of rebels bleed,
"And bow their wills to thy command.

3 "That day shall shew thy pow'r is great,
"When saints shall flock with willing minds,
"And sinners crowd thy temple-gate,
"Where holiness in beauty shines."

4 "O blessed pow'r! O glorious day!
"What a large vict'ry shall ensue;
"And converts, who thy grace obey,
"Exceed the drops of morning dew."

5 The Lord pronounc'd his firm decree
Nor will he swerve from what he swore:
"Eternal shall thy priesthood be,
"And change from hand to hand no more.

6 "Aaron, and all his sons, must die:
"But everlasting life is thine,
"To save for ever those that fly
"For refuge from the wrath divine.

7 "Melchizedec was made by me
"On earth a king and priest at once;
"Of his high order thou shalt be,
"A king and priest to all my sons."

8 Jesus the priest ascends his throne,
While counsels of eternal peace,
Between the Father and the Son,
Proceed with honour and success.

9 Thro' the whole earth his reign shall spread,
And crush the pow'rs that dare rebel:
Then shall he judge the rising dead,
And send the guilty world to hell.

10 Tho' while he treads his glorious way,
He drinks the bitter stream alone;
The suff'rings of that dreadful day
Shall serve t'advance him to the throne.