While before the deep sea flowed, On the margin of the flood The gathered waves that took their stand, Then with bow and banner glancing, In a rich and boastful ring All around her furious king. But the Lord from out his cloud, The Lord looked down upon the proud; And the host drave heavily Down the steep bosom of the sea. With a quick and sudden swell, Over horse and over car, Over every man of war, Over Pharoah's crown of gold Down they sank, they sank like lead, Cast on a wide sea, heaving as of yore, Then did Israel's maidens sing, To him, the King of Kings! that in the sea, A mightier Pharaoh! wilt not thou MILMAN. HYMN ON THE FALL OF JERUSALEM. EVEN thus amid thy pride and luxury, Oh earth! shall that last coming burst on thee, That secret coming of the Son of Man, When all the cherub-throning clouds shall shine, Irradiate with his bright advancing sign: [fan, When that Great Husbandman shall wave his Sweeping, like chaff, thy wealth and pomp away : Still to the noontide of that nightless day Shalt thou thy wonted dissolute course maintain. Along the busy mart and crowded street, The buyer and the seller still shall meet, And marriage feasts begin their jocund strain : Still to the pouring out the cup of woe; Till earth, a drunkard, reeling to and fro, And mountains molted by his burning feet, And heaven his presence own, all red with furnace heat. The hundred-gated cities then, The towers and temples, named of men The gilded summer palaces, The courtly bowers of love and ease, Go gaze on fallen Jerusalem! Yea, mightier names are in the fatal roll, 'Gainst earth and heaven God's standard is unfurl'd, The skies are shrivel'd like a burning scroll, And the vast common doom ensepulchres the world. Oh! who shall then survive? Oh! who shall stand and live? When all that hath been is no more: In the sky's azure canopy; When for the breathing earth and sparkling sea, Lord of all power, when thou art there alone Needs not the perish'd sun nor moon; Like forest leaves in the' autumn of thine ire; Faithful and true! thou still wilt save thine own! The saints shall dwell within the unharming fire, Each white robe spotless, blooming every palm. Even safe as we, by this still fountain's side, So shall the church, thy bright and mystic bride, Sit on the stormy gulf, a halcyon bird of calm. Yes, 'mid yon angry and destroying signs, O'er us the rainbow of thy mercy shines, We hail, we bless the covenant of its beam, Almighty to avenge, Almightiest to redeem! MILMAN. PARAPHRASTIC VERSION OF PSALM XLVI. OUR hope, our strength, our refuge is our God! On Him reposing-Fear in vain annoys ;Though from their solid base huge mountains nod, And earth, unbalanced, lose her central poise. Though Alpine mounds should in the sea be hurl'd, While Ocean trembles with convulsive roar, Though one vast tempest desolate the world, Still Faith may anchor on a tranquil shore. For all the ravage of this finite sphere Can do the city of our God no'ill:- Though heathen nations in their strength rejoice, The God of Jacob is our only God! The Lord of Hosts is our Almighty Lord! Fear then the wrath of his destroying rod, And dread the vengeance of his twoedged sword. Legions of warriors, in their proud career, He checks, and makes them fearfully retire; He snaps in sunder the uplifted spear, And wraps their chariots in consuming fire. With silent reverence, then, obey his nod; And let the heathen world exulting own The God of Jacob is the only God! The Lord of Hosts must be the Lord alone! PARK. |