Lyrics · 2 Samuel
Rizpah Kept Watch
2 Samuel 21:1-14
About this song
About this song
This song belongs to the 2 Samuel collection. One recording is available to play here, with the complete lyrics below.
- Bible book
- 2 Samuel
- Collection
- 2 Samuel
- Musical styles
- Pop & Contemporary
Available recordings
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Rizpah Kept Watch
2 Samuel · Chanson Réaliste
[Intro]
Three years the fields gave dust for bread;
the bloody house of Saul was named.
[Verse 1]
Seven were yielded at barley's waking,
hanged on the hill before the LORD.
Rizpah spread sackcloth over the rock,
made noon her watch, made midnight her ward,
while harvest whitened under a shut-up sky.
[Refrain]
By day, the wings came down, she drove them wide.
By night, the beasts drew near, she held the line.
On the stone she kept their names from the wild.
[Verse 2]
No silver could settle the Gibeonites' grief;
the oath kept Jonathan's son from the seven.
Armoni fell, and Rizpah's Mephibosheth,
with five of Merab, beneath the same sentence;
still one mother stayed where the kingdom passed.
[Interlude - 4 bars]
[Verse 3]
Then water broke from heaven on the dead.
David heard what her watching had done.
From Jabesh he gathered Saul and Jonathan,
gathered the seven, and bore every bone
to Kish's grave at Zelah in Benjamin.
[Refrain]
By day, no wing could steal what she guarded.
By night, no beast could cross that ground.
Rain found the stone; burial answered the watch.
[Outro]
The king's command was wholly performed;
then God was intreated for the land.

