Fools in their heart believe and say,
“That all religion’s vain;
There is no God that reigns on high,
Or minds th’affairs of men.”

From thoughts so dreadful and profane,
Corrupt discourse proceeds;
And in their impious hands are found
Abominable deeds.

The Lord from His celestial throne
Looked down on things below,
To find the man that sought His grace,
Or did His justice know.

By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;
There’s none that fears his Maker’s hand;
There’s none that loves His Name.

Their tongues are used to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease;
How swift to mischief are their feet,
Nor know the paths of peace!

Such seeds of sin—that bitter root—
In every heart are found;
Nor can they bear diviner fruit
Till grace refine the ground.

The God Who sits enthroned on high
The foolish to their heart deny;
Not one does good; corrupt in thought,
Unrighteous works their hands have wrought.

From heaven the Lord with searching eye
Looked down the sons of men to try,
To see if any understood
And sought for God, the only Good.

From righteousness they all depart,
Corrupt are all, and vile in heart;
Yea, every man has evil done;
Not one does good, not even one.

Has knowledge with the wicked failed,
That they My people have assailed,
That they delight in works of shame,
And call not on Jehovah’s Name?

Thy lowly servant they despise,
Because he on the Lord relies;
But they shall tremble yet in fear,
For to the righteous God is near.

O that from Zion, His abode,
Salvation were on us bestowed!
When God His exiles shall restore,
They shall in song His grace adore.

Lord of all worlds, let thanks and praise
To Thee forever fill my soul;
With blessings Thou hast crowned my days,
My heart, my head, my hand control.
O, let no vain presumptions rise,
No impious murmur in my heart,
To crave the boon Thy will denies,
Or shrink from ill Thy hands impart.

Thy child am I, and not an hour,
Revolving in the orbs above,
But brings some token of Thy power,
But brings some token of Thy love;
And shall this bosom dare repine,
In darkness dare deny the dawn,
Or spurn the treasures of the mine,
Because one diamond is withdrawn?

The fool denies, the fool alone,
Thy being, Lord, and boundless might;
Denies the firmament, Thy throne,
Denies the sun’s meridian light;
Denies the fashion of his frame,
The voice he hears, the breath he draws;
O idiot atheist! to proclaim
Effects unnumbered without cause!

Matter and mind, mysterious one,
Are man’s for threescore years and ten;
Where, ere the thread of life was spun?
Where, when reduced to dust again?
All seeing God, the doubt suppress;
The doubt Thou only canst relieve;
My soul Thy Savior Son shall bless,
Fly to Thy Gospel, and believe.