 | The poetical works of James Montgomery |  |
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THE SAND AND THE ROCK.
“I will open my dark saying upon the harp.”—
—Psalm xlix. 4.
Part I. DESTRUCTION.
I built my house upon the sand,
And saw its image in the sea,
That seem'd as stable as the land,
And beautiful as heaven to me.
And saw its image in the sea,
That seem'd as stable as the land,
And beautiful as heaven to me.
For in the clear and tranquil tide,
As in a nether firmament,
Sun, moon, and stars, appear'd to glide,
And lights and shadows came and went.
As in a nether firmament,
Sun, moon, and stars, appear'd to glide,
And lights and shadows came and went.
I ate and drank, I danced and sung,
Reclined at ease, at leisure stroll'd,
Collecting shells and pebbles, flung
Upon the beach for gems and gold.
Reclined at ease, at leisure stroll'd,
Collecting shells and pebbles, flung
Upon the beach for gems and gold.
I said unto my soul, “Rejoice
In safety, wealth, and pleasure here!”
But, while I spake, a secret voice
Within my bosom whisper'd, “Fear!”
In safety, wealth, and pleasure here!”
But, while I spake, a secret voice
Within my bosom whisper'd, “Fear!”
I heeded not, and went to rest,
Prayerless, once more, beneath my roof,
Nor deem'd the eagle on his nest
More peril-free, more tempest-proof.
Prayerless, once more, beneath my roof,
Nor deem'd the eagle on his nest
More peril-free, more tempest-proof.
But in the dead and midnight hour
A storm came down upon the deep;
Wind, rain, and lightning, such a stour,
Methought 'twas doomsday in my sleep.
A storm came down upon the deep;
Wind, rain, and lightning, such a stour,
Methought 'twas doomsday in my sleep.
I strove, but could not wake,—the stream
Beat vehemently on my wall;
I felt it tottering in my dream;
It fell, and dreadful was the fall.
Beat vehemently on my wall;
I felt it tottering in my dream;
It fell, and dreadful was the fall.
Swept with the ruins down the flood,
I woke; home, hope, and heart were gone:
My brain flash'd fire, ice thrill'd my blood;
Life, life, was all I thought upon.
I woke; home, hope, and heart were gone:
My brain flash'd fire, ice thrill'd my blood;
Life, life, was all I thought upon.
Death, death, was all that met my eye;
Deep swallow'd deep, wave buried wave:
I look'd in vain for land and sky;
All was one sea,—that sea one grave.
Deep swallow'd deep, wave buried wave:
I look'd in vain for land and sky;
All was one sea,—that sea one grave.
I struggled through the strangling tide,
As though a bowstring wrung my neck;
“Help! help!” voice fail'd,—I fain had cried,
And clung convulsive to the wreck.
As though a bowstring wrung my neck;
“Help! help!” voice fail'd,—I fain had cried,
And clung convulsive to the wreck.
Not long,—for suddenly a spot
Of darkness fell upon my brain,
Which spread and press'd, till I forgot
All pain in that excess of pain.
Of darkness fell upon my brain,
Which spread and press'd, till I forgot
All pain in that excess of pain.
Part II. TRANSITION.
Two woes were past; a worse befell:
When I revived, the sea had fled;
Beneath me yawn'd the gulf of hell,
Broad as the vanish'd ocean's bed.
When I revived, the sea had fled;
Beneath me yawn'd the gulf of hell,
Broad as the vanish'd ocean's bed.
Downward I seem'd to plunge through space,
As lightning flashes and expires,
Yet—how, I knew not—turn'd my face
Away from those terrific fires;—
As lightning flashes and expires,
Yet—how, I knew not—turn'd my face
Away from those terrific fires;—
And saw in glory, throned afar,
A human form yet all divine;
Beyond the track of sun or star,
High o'er all height it seem'd to shine.
A human form yet all divine;
Beyond the track of sun or star,
High o'er all height it seem'd to shine.
'Twas He who in the furnace walk'd
With Shadrach, and controll'd its power;
'Twas He with whom Elias talk'd,
In his transfiguration-hour.
With Shadrach, and controll'd its power;
'Twas He with whom Elias talk'd,
In his transfiguration-hour.
'Twas He whom, in the lonely Isle
Of Patmos, John in spirit saw,
And, at the lightning of his smile,
Fell down as dead, entranced with awe.
Of Patmos, John in spirit saw,
And, at the lightning of his smile,
Fell down as dead, entranced with awe.
From his resplendent diadem,
A ray shot through mine inmost soul;
“Could I but touch his garment's hem,”
Methought, “like her whom faith made whole!”
A ray shot through mine inmost soul;
“Could I but touch his garment's hem,”
Methought, “like her whom faith made whole!”
Faith, faith, was given;—though nigh and nigher,
Swift verging tow'rds the gulf below,
I stretch'd my hand;—but high and higher,
Ah me! the vision seem'd to go.
Swift verging tow'rds the gulf below,
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Ah me! the vision seem'd to go.
“Save, Lord, I perish!”—while I cried,
Some miracle of mercy drew
My spirit upward;—hell yawn'd wide,
And follow'd;—upwards still I flew:—
Some miracle of mercy drew
My spirit upward;—hell yawn'd wide,
And follow'd;—upwards still I flew:—
And upwards still the surging flame
Pursued;—yet all was clear above,
Whence brighter, sweeter, kindlier came
My blessed Saviour's looks of love.
Pursued;—yet all was clear above,
Whence brighter, sweeter, kindlier came
My blessed Saviour's looks of love.
Till with a sudden flash forth beam'd
The fulness of the Deity:—
Hell's jaws collapsed; I felt redeem'd;
The snare was broken, I was free.
The fulness of the Deity:—
Hell's jaws collapsed; I felt redeem'd;
The snare was broken, I was free.
A voice from heaven proclaim'd,—“Tis done!”
Then, like a homeward ray of light
From the last planet to the sun,
I darted through the abyss of night.
Then, like a homeward ray of light
From the last planet to the sun,
I darted through the abyss of night.
Till He put forth his hand, to meet
Mine, grasping at infinity;
He caught me, set me on my feet;
I fell at his in ecstasy.
Mine, grasping at infinity;
He caught me, set me on my feet;
I fell at his in ecstasy.
What follow'd, human tongue in vain
Would question language to disclose:
Enough,—that I was born again;
From death to life that hour I rose.
Would question language to disclose:
Enough,—that I was born again;
From death to life that hour I rose.
Part III. RESTITUTION.
I built once more, but on a rock
(Faith's strong foundation, firm and sure)
Fix'd mine abode, the heaviest shock
Of time and tempest to endure.
(Faith's strong foundation, firm and sure)
Fix'd mine abode, the heaviest shock
Of time and tempest to endure.
Not small, nor large, not low, nor high,
Midway it stands upon the steep,
Beneath the storm-mark of the sky,
Above the flood-mark of the deep.
Midway it stands upon the steep,
Beneath the storm-mark of the sky,
Above the flood-mark of the deep.
And here I humbly wait while He,
Who pluck'd me from the lowest hell,
Prepares a heavenly house for me,
Then calls me home with Him to dwell.
Who pluck'd me from the lowest hell,
Prepares a heavenly house for me,
Then calls me home with Him to dwell.
| The poetical works of James Montgomery | |