 | Miscellaneous Poems |  |
176
David's three mighty Ones
‘And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me
drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate!’—2 Sam. xxiii. 15
Faint on Rephaim's sultry side
Sat Israel's warrior-king;
‘Oh for one draught,' the hero cried,
‘From Bethlehem's cooling spring!—
From Bethlehem's spring, upon whose brink
My youthful knee bent down to drink!
Sat Israel's warrior-king;
‘Oh for one draught,' the hero cried,
‘From Bethlehem's cooling spring!—
From Bethlehem's spring, upon whose brink
My youthful knee bent down to drink!
‘I know the spot, by yonder gate,
Beside my father's home,
Where pilgrims love at eve to wait,
And girls for water come.
Oh for that healing water now,
To quench my lip, to cool my brow!
Beside my father's home,
Where pilgrims love at eve to wait,
And girls for water come.
Oh for that healing water now,
To quench my lip, to cool my brow!
177
‘But round that gate, and in that home,
And by that sacred well,
Now hostile feet insulting roam,
And impious voices swell.
The Philistine holds Bethlehem's halls,
While we pine here beneath its walls.’—
And by that sacred well,
Now hostile feet insulting roam,
And impious voices swell.
The Philistine holds Bethlehem's halls,
While we pine here beneath its walls.’—
Three gallant men stood nigh, and heard
The wish their king expressed;
Exchanged a glance, but not a word,
And dash'd from 'midst the rest.
And strong in zeal, with ardour flushed,
They up the hill to Bethlehem rushed.
The wish their king expressed;
Exchanged a glance, but not a word,
And dash'd from 'midst the rest.
And strong in zeal, with ardour flushed,
They up the hill to Bethlehem rushed.
The foe fast mustering to attack,
Their fierceness could not rein;
No friendly voice could call them back.—
‘Shall David long in vain?
Long for a cup from Bethlehem's spring,
And none attempt the boon to bring?’
Their fierceness could not rein;
No friendly voice could call them back.—
‘Shall David long in vain?
Long for a cup from Bethlehem's spring,
And none attempt the boon to bring?’
178
And now the city gate they gain,
And now in conflict close;
Unequal odds! three dauntless men
Against unnumbered foes.
Yet through their ranks they plough their way
Like galleys through the ocean spray.
And now in conflict close;
Unequal odds! three dauntless men
Against unnumbered foes.
Yet through their ranks they plough their way
Like galleys through the ocean spray.
The gate is forced, the crowd is pass'd;
They scour the open street;
While hosts are gathering fierce and fast
To block up their retreat.
Haste back! haste back, ye desperate Three!
Or Bethlehem soon your grave must be!
They scour the open street;
While hosts are gathering fierce and fast
To block up their retreat.
Haste back! haste back, ye desperate Three!
Or Bethlehem soon your grave must be!
They come again;—and with them bring—
Nor gems nor golden prey;
A single cup from Bethlehem's spring
Is all they bear away;
And through the densest of the train
Fight back their glorious way again.
Nor gems nor golden prey;
A single cup from Bethlehem's spring
Is all they bear away;
And through the densest of the train
Fight back their glorious way again.
179
O'er broken shields and prostrate foes
They urge their conquering course.
Go, try the tempest to oppose,
Arrest the lightning's force;
But hope not, Pagans, to withstand
The shock of Israel's chosen band!
They urge their conquering course.
Go, try the tempest to oppose,
Arrest the lightning's force;
But hope not, Pagans, to withstand
The shock of Israel's chosen band!
Hurrah! hurrah! again they're free;
And 'neath the open sky,
On the green turf they bend the knee,
And lift the prize on high;
Then onward through the shouting throng
To David bear their spoil along.
And 'neath the open sky,
On the green turf they bend the knee,
And lift the prize on high;
Then onward through the shouting throng
To David bear their spoil along.
All in their blood and dust they sink
Full low before their king.
‘Again,’ they cry, ‘let David drink
Of his own silver spring;
And if the draught our lord delight,
His servants' toil 't will well requite.’
Full low before their king.
‘Again,’ they cry, ‘let David drink
Of his own silver spring;
And if the draught our lord delight,
His servants' toil 't will well requite.’
180
With deep emotion David took
From their red hands the cup;
Cast on its stains a shuddering look,
And held it heavenward up.
‘I prize your boon,’ exclaimed the king,
‘But dare not taste the draught you bring.
From their red hands the cup;
Cast on its stains a shuddering look,
And held it heavenward up.
‘I prize your boon,’ exclaimed the king,
‘But dare not taste the draught you bring.
‘I prize the zeal that perill'd life,
A wish of mine to crown;
I prize the might that in the strife
Bore foes by thousands down:—
But dare not please myself with aught
By Israel's blood and peril bought.
A wish of mine to crown;
I prize the might that in the strife
Bore foes by thousands down:—
But dare not please myself with aught
By Israel's blood and peril bought.
‘To Heaven the glorious spoil is due;
And His the offering be,
Whose arm has borne you safely through,
My brave, but reckless, Three!’—
Then on the earth the cup he pour'd,
A free libation to the Lord.
And His the offering be,
Whose arm has borne you safely through,
My brave, but reckless, Three!’—
Then on the earth the cup he pour'd,
A free libation to the Lord.
181
There is a well in Bethlehem still,
A fountain, at whose brink
The weary soul may rest at will,
The thirsty stoop and drink:
And unrepelled by foe or fence
Draw living waters freely thence.
A fountain, at whose brink
The weary soul may rest at will,
The thirsty stoop and drink:
And unrepelled by foe or fence
Draw living waters freely thence.
Oh, did we thirst, as David then,
For this diviner spring!
Had we the zeal of David's men
To please a Higher King!
What precious draughts we thence might drain,
What holy triumphs daily gain!
For this diviner spring!
Had we the zeal of David's men
To please a Higher King!
What precious draughts we thence might drain,
What holy triumphs daily gain!
| Miscellaneous Poems | |