General William Booth enters into Heaven and other poems | ||
12
WHERE IS DAVID, THE NEXT KING OF ISRAEL?
Where is David? ... O God's people,
Saul has passed, the good and great.
Mourn for Saul the first-anointed—
Head and shoulders o'er the state.
Saul has passed, the good and great.
Mourn for Saul the first-anointed—
Head and shoulders o'er the state.
He was found among the Prophets:
Judge and monarch, merged in one.
But the wars of Saul are ended
And the works of Saul are done.
Judge and monarch, merged in one.
But the wars of Saul are ended
And the works of Saul are done.
Where is David, ruddy shepherd,
God's boy-king for Israel?
Mystic, ardent, dowered with beauty,
Singing where still waters dwell?
God's boy-king for Israel?
Mystic, ardent, dowered with beauty,
Singing where still waters dwell?
Prophet, find that destined minstrel
Wandering on the range to-day,
Driving sheep and crooning softly
Psalms that cannot pass away.
Wandering on the range to-day,
Driving sheep and crooning softly
Psalms that cannot pass away.
13
“David waits,” the prophet answers,
“In a black notorious den,
In a cave upon the border
With four hundred outlaw men.
“In a black notorious den,
In a cave upon the border
With four hundred outlaw men.
“He is fair, and loved of women,
Mighty-hearted, born to sing:
Thieving, weeping, erring, praying,
Radiant royal rebel-king.
Mighty-hearted, born to sing:
Thieving, weeping, erring, praying,
Radiant royal rebel-king.
“He will come with harp and psaltry,
Quell his troop of convict swine,
Quell his mad-dog roaring rascals,
Witching them with words divine—
Quell his troop of convict swine,
Quell his mad-dog roaring rascals,
Witching them with words divine—
“They will ram the walls of Zion!
They will win us Salem hill,
All for David, Shepherd David—
Singing like a mountain rill!”
They will win us Salem hill,
All for David, Shepherd David—
Singing like a mountain rill!”
General William Booth enters into Heaven and other poems | ||