University of Virginia Library

THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA.
Then Thyrza took the harp,
And, with a strange sweet sorrow in her voice,
That won the tear to come,
She straight began the strain that Miriam sang—
Miriam the Prophetess, old Aaron's sister—
As, when, the Red Sea passed,
She, with the maidens pleasantly about her,
Sat by the bitter waters of Marah,
And sweetly struck the timbrel while she told
Of Israel's triumph—of the sea o'erpassed
In safety by the Hebrew, while its waves
Went o'er the Egyptian host—chariot and horse—
Monarch and subject—banner and array.
Chorus of Israelites.
Oh, wherefore hast thou led us forth to die
Amid the desert, with a cruel death?
Were there no graves in Egypt?
Moses.
Lift your eye,
Nor murmur, for the Lord, with sacred breath,
Hath spoken—and this day, that ye deplore,

For that the Egyptian warriors pursue,
Your eye that sees them now, shall see no more:
They shall all perish.
Chorus of Israelites.
Be your promise true,
Then shall we still the blessed Lord adore.
Moses.
Adore, adore—the blessed Lord adore—
For look, where now behind us, like a shroud,
Solemn and vast, has gone that mighty cloud,
With face of fire to us, that guides our way,
And, though the night hours come, still yields us day;
While black, upon the host of Pharaoh glooming,
It speaks for God—those cruel warriors dooming
Who shall all perish.
Chorus of Israelites.
With a mighty voice,
In thy great honour, Lord, we now rejoice—
Thou art the God of Israel, and hast kept
Thy holy watch above him when he slept.
Moses.
Yea, borne him out of bondage, made him strong,
And taught his lips a triumph and a song;
And now, ev'n now, when murm'ring, ye repine,
Because he left ye not as dogs and swine,
To your Egyptian lords, hath led ye forth
To be a mighty people of the earth—
He builds ye up a holy habitation.
Chorus of Israelites.
Great is the Lord—the Lord is great—he builds,
He builds us up a holy habitation—
So ran the prophecy when Abraham's fields
Had but a hundred shepherds with their flocks,

Scatter'd and lonely, on the inclining rocks—
And Israel shall become a mighty nation.
Moses.
Praise ye the Lord! Oh, praise—'tis now the hour,
When the Egyptian comes in all his pow'r—
Ye hear his rolling chariots, and the tramp
Of his fierce horsemen crowding on our camp—
He comes with an exulting thought to slay,
And bear us in captivity away;
But God is with his people, and this day,
Shall honour win from Pharaoh by his deed.
Follow ye to the waters when I lead,
And fear not, though I leave ye now to pray.
Chorus of Israelites.
They come, they come—oh, whither shall we flee!
Moses (apart)
To thee, to thee, O Lord of Hosts, to thee,
This day be all the glory. Leave us not,
But keep thy people from the evil lot
Of blows and bondage. Let them not prevail,
Thy foes and Israel's, who, with rude assail,
And a fierce cry that mocks our heart's distress,
Press on us in our infant feebleness.
And now they come—be with us—lift thine arm,
Strike down the foe, thy children keep from harm,
And turn aside this peril.
The Voice.
Wherefore cry
In anguish to me? I am ever nigh
To thee and Israel. To thy people speak;
Bid them go forward. Let them not grow weak,
But teach them what thou know'st. Then lift thy rod
Above the waters.

Moses.
Lord, I adore and tremble. Mighty God!
'Tis done as thou hast said.
The Voice.
Look and see,
The waters are divided. Thou art free
To lead thy people over the dry land.
Moses.
Oh, great and wonderful. On either hand
The heaping seas are broken—a high wall
Towers around us. Praise ye, Israel, all,
Advance, and praise the Lord—a mighty song
Shall speak his mercy that endureth long—
His justice is for ever. Onward press,
While the high waters, mute and motionless,
Look down upon us. Is the Lord not nigh?
He keeps their walls apart, he builds them high,
So that ye pass in safety. Praise, oh, praise,
Lift high your hearts, oh Israel, in his praise—
By his hand's strength the Lord hath brought ye forth
From bondage—and shall make ye of the earth
The greatest, building ye a habitation
Holy and high.
Chorus of Israelites.
And raising Israel to a mighty nation,
As promised unto Abraham, when the Lord,
While he lay sleeping in his Chaldee tent,
Said to him in sweet vision, angel-sent,
“I am thy shield—I am thy great reward,”
And bade him count the thick'ning stars and see,
Many, like them, should his own people be.
Praise ye the Lord—oh, praise!

Moses.
Now Pharaoh's host
Advances on us, with a cruel boast,
And a fierce cry; but fear ye not his pow'r,
For God is with us in the darkest hour,
And ye shall see this day his triumph vast
Over our foe. Rejoice, the sea is passed,
Lift ye your hearts in song! I speak to God,
While ye do praise him.
The Voice.
Moses, lift thy rod
Once more above the waters.
Moses.
It is done!
O, thou eternal and all-powerful One!
The waters roll above them. Israel, see,
And sing, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously.
The rider and his horse are overthrown,
And Pharaoh's chariots and himself are down—
All crushed and buried in the gathering sea.
His mighty captains—what are they to thee,
O mightiest Captain! Thou'rt the man of war,
And all the valiant else but children are!
Lord is thy name, and, glorious in its pow'r,
Thy right hand dashest into naught thy foe!
Thou speakest, and the winds begin to blow,
The floods stand upright, till thou bidst them go,
And then they rush in overwhelming show'r,
Swallowing their thousands. Mighty art thou, Lord,
Most mighty! Be thy name for aye adored,
In Israel, by thy people. Lo! they stand
Trembling, to see the wonders of thy hand.
Rejoice, rejoice, oh Israel! For He brings
His children out from bondage. With His arm,
Above their enemies, the sea He flings,

And keeps His chosen people from all harm!
He doth set free the captive, and He builds
For Israel now a holy habitation.
Sorrow shall fill the Palestinian fields,
He gives them up a spoil unto our nation.
Edom shall be amazed—the mighty men
That dwell in Moab shall all tremble, when
Our march is on them; and beneath our sway
Canaan's people shall all melt away.
Thine is their land, and thither we advance,
Now, Israel, to thy great inheritance!