Poems, by Joseph Cottle Second edition, with additions |
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AN ATTEMPT AT A FREE PARAPHRASE OF SOME PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH PSALM. |
 | Poems, by Joseph Cottle |  |
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AN ATTEMPT AT A FREE PARAPHRASE OF SOME PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH PSALM.
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From the deep anguish of a wounded mind,
When no relief my troubled soul could find;
When sunk my breast at enmity's dark frown,
And like a flood th'ungodly bore me down:
I felt the crimes to which my heart was prone,
That youth had cherish'd, or that age had known;
And trembling at the black and countless train,
Saw Hell in triumph shake her giant chain.
Then on the mercy of my God I thought,
Whose guardian power, thro' infancy, had brought
My wayward spirit, and to manhood's form
Shelter'd my head through many a wintry storm.
Fir'd with affection's holy flame I cry'd,
Thee will I love, oh Lord, the Patriarch's guide!
Thee will I love, for thou the sword canst wield!
Thee will I love, oh Lord, my mighty shield!
When no relief my troubled soul could find;
When sunk my breast at enmity's dark frown,
And like a flood th'ungodly bore me down:
I felt the crimes to which my heart was prone,
That youth had cherish'd, or that age had known;
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Saw Hell in triumph shake her giant chain.
Then on the mercy of my God I thought,
Whose guardian power, thro' infancy, had brought
My wayward spirit, and to manhood's form
Shelter'd my head through many a wintry storm.
Fir'd with affection's holy flame I cry'd,
Thee will I love, oh Lord, the Patriarch's guide!
Thee will I love, for thou the sword canst wield!
Thee will I love, oh Lord, my mighty shield!
When those who hate thy law against me came,
Mock'd me to scorn, and curst Jehovah's name;
While thro' th'applauding land their railings flew,
I call'd upon the God my fathers knew.
That God, whose word upholds the rolling stars,
Tho' served by Seraphs in their Sun-girt cars!
Tho' storms and tempests form his awful train!
And Angels hymn a never-ending strain!
Tho' all the orbs the midnight heavens display,
And all the suns that throng the milky way,
Hang on his smile for life! he smiles on all,
Yet stoops to hear the good man's secret call!
He mark'd the foes my sorrowing heart abhorr'd,
Whose bitter tongues had slander'd Israel's Lord;
He saw the worm revolting at its God,
And bade the vallies quake, the mountains nod.
Mock'd me to scorn, and curst Jehovah's name;
While thro' th'applauding land their railings flew,
I call'd upon the God my fathers knew.
That God, whose word upholds the rolling stars,
Tho' served by Seraphs in their Sun-girt cars!
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And Angels hymn a never-ending strain!
Tho' all the orbs the midnight heavens display,
And all the suns that throng the milky way,
Hang on his smile for life! he smiles on all,
Yet stoops to hear the good man's secret call!
He mark'd the foes my sorrowing heart abhorr'd,
Whose bitter tongues had slander'd Israel's Lord;
He saw the worm revolting at its God,
And bade the vallies quake, the mountains nod.
Now from the realms above, the Lord of light,
Downward to earth directs his beaming flight.
Whilst Heaven, all darkness, mourns no God-head nigh,
He glides serene, amid the stormy sky!
Moves, undisturb'd, tho' lightnings blaze around!
Tho' bellowing whirlwinds shake creation's bound!
Dreadless, the terrors he had rais'd, surveys,
And while aghast the trembling Cherubs gaze,
With thought all-mighty calms each follower's mind,
And rides upon the pinions of the wind.
Downward to earth directs his beaming flight.
Whilst Heaven, all darkness, mourns no God-head nigh,
He glides serene, amid the stormy sky!
Moves, undisturb'd, tho' lightnings blaze around!
Tho' bellowing whirlwinds shake creation's bound!
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And while aghast the trembling Cherubs gaze,
With thought all-mighty calms each follower's mind,
And rides upon the pinions of the wind.
Hark! from the clouds convulsive thunders break!
From either pole Earth's central Caverns shake!
Their heads, in dust, the forest tall Pines hide!
The lofty Cedars rock on every side!
Mountains and hills, in wild confusion nod;
Before the wind of Heaven—before the voice of God.
From either pole Earth's central Caverns shake!
Their heads, in dust, the forest tall Pines hide!
The lofty Cedars rock on every side!
Mountains and hills, in wild confusion nod;
Before the wind of Heaven—before the voice of God.
Now the pale host, who late high Heaven could dare
Shrink as the bright blaze darts its forked glare;
And, stretch'd on crags, immur'd in rayless den,
Trembling retire the impious sons of men.
Shrink as the bright blaze darts its forked glare;
And, stretch'd on crags, immur'd in rayless den,
Trembling retire the impious sons of men.
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The Lord was wrath: when darkness veil'd the sky!
He frown'd, and discord jarr'd the worlds on high!
Then the foundations of the earth appear'd;
Ocean, uptorn, her deepest channels rear'd;
Whilst Nature, rising from her secret bed,
In speechless anguish waves her hoary head;
Starts, as the whirlwind traverses the air,
And, shiv'ring, dreads her last short moment near.
He frown'd, and discord jarr'd the worlds on high!
Then the foundations of the earth appear'd;
Ocean, uptorn, her deepest channels rear'd;
Whilst Nature, rising from her secret bed,
In speechless anguish waves her hoary head;
Starts, as the whirlwind traverses the air,
And, shiv'ring, dreads her last short moment near.
He, who prepar'd creation's varyed form,
Who speaks majestic in the midnight storm,
Whose word dissolves the pillars of the sky,
Whilst as a scroll the Heavens are passed by;
Lives not alone to raise the view sublime,
Moves not indifferent to the deeds of time,
But, passing mortal thought! inclines his ear,
To man's repentant sigh and contrite tear.
Thee well we love, oh Lord! unchanging friend!
To thine abode our grateful songs shall tend;
For thou canst raise us from the silent dust,
And art our friend, our fortress, and our trust.
Who speaks majestic in the midnight storm,
Whose word dissolves the pillars of the sky,
Whilst as a scroll the Heavens are passed by;
Lives not alone to raise the view sublime,
Moves not indifferent to the deeds of time,
But, passing mortal thought! inclines his ear,
To man's repentant sigh and contrite tear.
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To thine abode our grateful songs shall tend;
For thou canst raise us from the silent dust,
And art our friend, our fortress, and our trust.
Shall ought prescribe the limits of thy reign?
Boundless as Heaven! 'tis impotent and vain!
Whose lifted arm no hostile power can bind;
Scatt'ring its foes upon the tempest's wind.
Our God sustains the glowing orb of day;
He bade the pale Moon beam a milder ray;
He call'd, from nothing, countless Suns to burn;
He speaks,—and back to nothing they return.
May we resign'd behold his arrows fly,
Nor dare provoke his judgments lest we die.
Boundless as Heaven! 'tis impotent and vain!
Whose lifted arm no hostile power can bind;
Scatt'ring its foes upon the tempest's wind.
Our God sustains the glowing orb of day;
He bade the pale Moon beam a milder ray;
He call'd, from nothing, countless Suns to burn;
He speaks,—and back to nothing they return.
May we resign'd behold his arrows fly,
Nor dare provoke his judgments lest we die.
| Poems, by Joseph Cottle | |