80. Israel’s shepherd, hear our prayer

Author: Christopher Idle

Israel’s shepherd, hear our prayer,
leading Joseph by your care,
throned between the cherubim,
light for us, as once for him:
waken all your mighty powers;
Israel’s Shepherd, Lord, be ours!

Restore us now, O God, we pray
and make your face shine on our ways:
restore us that we may be saved!

2. God of hosts, O Lord, how long
will your wrath be burning strong?
You were angered by our prayers,
feeding us the bread of tears;
to our neighbours we bring strife
while our foes deride our life.

Restore us, God of hosts, we pray
and make your face shine on our way:
restore us, that we may be saved!

3. Out of Egypt’s land you brought
one choice vine, and set apart,
planted it and cleared the ground,
kept it till it filled the land:
mountains nestled in its shade,
coast to coast its branches spread.

4. Lord, why now destroy her hedge?
Strangers strip her foliage,
forest animals make free-
God of hosts, look down and see!
Bless from heaven this chosen root;
as a father, guard its fruit!

5. Now your vine is cut and burned
like the flock your wrath has spurned;
touch again your chosen son,
firstborn, raised for you alone,
that we turn not back to shame,
but for life we plead your name.

Revive, restore, Lord God of hosts:
shine on us, so we are not lost
and save us to the uttermost!