He Led Them by a Right Way

I

When Israel was from Egypt freed,
  The Lord, who brought them out,
Help’d them in every time of need,
  But led them round about.

II

To enter Canaan soon they hoped;
  But quickly changed their mind,
When the Red sea their passage stopp’d,
  And Pharaoh march’d behind.

III

The desert fill’d them with alarms
  For water and for food;
And Amalek, by force of arms,
  To check their progress stood.

IV

They often murmur’d by the way,
  Because they judged by sight;
But were at length constrain’d to say,
  The Lord had led them right.

V

In the Red sea, that stopp’d them first,
  Their enemies were drown’d;
The rocks gave water for their thirst,
  And manna spread the ground.

VI

By fire and cloud their way was shown
  Across the pathless sands;
And Amalek was overthrown
  By Moses’ lifted hands.

VII

The way was right their hearts to prove,
  To make God’s glory known,
And show his wisdom, pow’r, and love,
  Engaged to save his own.

VIII

Just so the true believer’s path
  Through many dangers lies;
Though dark to sense, ’tis light to faith,
  And leads us to the skies.