The busy tribes of flesh and blood, Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Like flowery fields the nations stand, O God! our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home. THE HEBREW BARD. SOFTLY the tuneful shepherd leads Rivers of peace attend his song, And draw their milky train along: When kindling with victorious fire, Behold the God! the Almighty King, Ten thousand cherubs wait his course, But who those frowns of earth can draw, His voice was thunder, hail, and smoke. He spake! the cleaving waters fled, In heaps th' affrighted billows stand, Turning his hand with sovereign sweep, Here camps with wide-embattled force, See his broad sword flies o'er the strings, Lo! the great poet shifts the scene, THE CREATION. "Now let the spacious world arise!" At once the obedient earth and skies Dark was the deep, the waters lay Confused, and drowned the land; He called the light, the new-born day Attends on his command. He bids the clouds ascend on high: A watery treasure to the sky, The liquid element below Was gathered by his hand; The rolling seas together flow, And leave a solid band. With herbs and plants, a flowery birth, Then He adorned the upper skies: The moon and stars in order rise, To mark our months and years. Out of the deep th' Almighty King And painted fowls of every wing, He gave the lion and the worm At once their wondrous birth; And grazing beasts of various form Rose from the teeming earth. Adam was formed of equal clay, Thus glorious in the Maker's eye GOD'S DOMINION AND DECREES. KEEP silence, all created things, And wait your Maker's nod: The Muse stands trembling while she sings The honours of her God. Life, death, and hell, and worlds unknown, Hang on his firm decree; He sits on no precarious throne, Nor borrows leave to be. Th' Almighty voice bid ancient Night And, lo! ten thousand globes of light, Now wisdom, with superior sway, Guides the vast moving frame, Whilst all the ranks of being pay Deep reverence to his name. He spake! the sun obedient stood, Old Jordan backward drives his flood, Lord of the armies of the sky, Red comets lift their banners high, Chained to his throne a volume lies, His Providence unfolds the book, And makes his counsels shine: Each opening leaf, and every stroke, Fulfils some deep design. Here He exalts neglected worms Nor Gabriel asks the reason why, My God, I never longed to see What gloomy lines are writ for me, Or what bright scenes shall rise. |