Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
In the deep, sacred stillness, rose, at length,
Dim sound of angel voices. Slower then
Their flight,—for, with o'erwhelming rapture, and awe,
The pardoned-one was faint. With trembling hands,
His eyes he covered; and adown his cheeks
Pure tears celestial trickled. To heaven's bounds,
Nigh as the moon to earth had they attained,
When the great song of all the angelic host
Rejoicing, burst upon them. A low cry,
In the bliss-agony, from the Spirit broke:
Drooped then his head: his eyes closed: he sank down,
Senseless with joy.
Dim sound of angel voices. Slower then
Their flight,—for, with o'erwhelming rapture, and awe,
The pardoned-one was faint. With trembling hands,
His eyes he covered; and adown his cheeks
Pure tears celestial trickled. To heaven's bounds,
Nigh as the moon to earth had they attained,
When the great song of all the angelic host
Rejoicing, burst upon them. A low cry,
In the bliss-agony, from the Spirit broke:
Drooped then his head: his eyes closed: he sank down,
Senseless with joy.
When life returned, behold,
By angels and archangels numberless
Accompanied, before the Shrine he stood,
And felt the Presence! On their faces then
The shining millions fell: throughout all heaven
Was holy stillness; and from midst the cloud,
‘Dark with excessive light,’ came forth a Voice,—
“Thy sin hath been forgiven thee.”
By angels and archangels numberless
Accompanied, before the Shrine he stood,
And felt the Presence! On their faces then
The shining millions fell: throughout all heaven
Was holy stillness; and from midst the cloud,
‘Dark with excessive light,’ came forth a Voice,—
“Thy sin hath been forgiven thee.”
Air, hill, plain,—
The whole vast region,—as with rapture shook.
Yet still throughout the angelic host remained
Serenest silence; prostrate still they lay,
In spirit worshipping. But, brief time past,
One impulse ruling all, the millions rose;
And, grander far than glory of the sun
Rising above the mountains, there went up
A chorus of thanksgiving. As the bed
Of a deep ocean with its waves is filled,—
So the vast temple of heaven, with that great hymn,
Even to o'erflowing, was full: and, though yet weak,
And in his rapture tremulous, the voice
Of the forgiven-one,—happiest then of all,—
And for eternity—once more was heard.
The whole vast region,—as with rapture shook.
Yet still throughout the angelic host remained
Serenest silence; prostrate still they lay,
In spirit worshipping. But, brief time past,
One impulse ruling all, the millions rose;
390
Rising above the mountains, there went up
A chorus of thanksgiving. As the bed
Of a deep ocean with its waves is filled,—
So the vast temple of heaven, with that great hymn,
Even to o'erflowing, was full: and, though yet weak,
And in his rapture tremulous, the voice
Of the forgiven-one,—happiest then of all,—
And for eternity—once more was heard.
| Israel in Egypt | |