O God, Regard My Humble Plea

O God, regard my humble plea;
I cannot be so far from Thee
But Thou wilt hear my cry;
When I by trouble am distressed,
Then lead me on the Rock to rest
That higher is than I.

In Thee my soul has shelter found,
And Thou hast been from foes around
The Tower to which I flee.
Within Thy house will I abide;
My Refuge sure, whate’er betide,
Thy sheltering wings shall be.

For Thou, my God, my vows hast heard,
On me the heritage conferred
Of those that fear Thy Name;
A blest anointing Thou dost give,
And Thou wilt make me ever live
Thy praises to proclaim.

Before Thy face shall I abide;
O God, Thy truth and grace provide
To guard me in the way;
So I will make Thy praises known,
And, humbly bending at Thy throne,
My vows will daily pay.

Author: Unknown

This is a metrical rendering of Psalm 61. The specific versification and wording ("O God, regard my humble plea", "lead me on the Rock to rest That higher is than I") match versions found in older Psalters and hymnals such as those derived from the 1912 Psalter, but no single original author is credited; it is treated as a traditional anonymous paraphrase.