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Messiah, an Ode.
I.
Messiah comes! glad nature hailsHer long-expected king:
She wakes to praise her every tongue,
Wakes every note to raise the song,
Joy, universal joy prevails,
Earth blooms with sudden spring.
Messiah comes! the hills resound,
The wide-extended vales around,
Messiah comes! in tuneful notes reply.
Attentive echo learns his name,
Repeats the pleasurable theme,
And bears the joyful accents to the sky.
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II.
The desart through her vast domain,Hears, and wonders at the strain,
The strain, her hard, cold bosom warms;
She sees, and wonders at her new-born charms;
While indulgent plenty pours
Gifts profuse, and fruits, and flowers
With various beauty glow:
Pining travellers no more
With weary feet, and longing eyes,
Now the thorny brake explore,
Or the sandy waste in vain;
See, the bubbling fountain rise!
See, the copious river flow!
Adieu thirst, weariness, and pain,
The cheerless desart owns Messiah's reign.
With Lebanon's tall shades the desart vies,
And verdure cloaths the grove, and decks the vale;
Here fragrant Carmel's flowery beauties rise,
And Sharon breathes the aromatic gale.
III.
Messiah comes! let every heart be glad,Let sounds of joy be heard from every voice;
With power, with majesty, with glory clad,
He comes to bid the sons of woe rejoice.
No more the hopeless heart shall languish
On the confines of despair;
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Or be felt the pang of care.
Ye sons of woe, resign your load,
Ye trembling hearts be strong;
Omnipotence
Is your defence:
Behold your King, your Saviour God!
He comes, with vengeance on his arm,
In vain your threatening foes alarm;
Forget your fear,
Salvation near
Demands the grateful song:
His arm shall crush your threatening foes to dust,
An awful recompense, divinely just!
IV.
See, the eyelids of the blindOpen to the heavenly ray!
See the prospect bright and new
Rise to the astonish'd view,
Boundless wonder fills the mind,
All is transport! all is day!
The hapless ear, of social bliss unknowing,
Receives the healing music of his voice:
Celestial harmony, soft, sweetly flowing,
Bids charm'd attention listen and rejoice.
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V.
See, the helpless cripple rise,Bounding like the mountain roe!
If nature's Lord
Pronounce the word,
New strength, that word supplies;
Life's active flame
Informs the frame,
And bids each nerve with native vigor glow.
The tongue that never could reveal
Heart-felt woe, or pleasure tell,
Held in the chains of mournful silence long;
Now bursts the chains at his command,
Aloud proclaims Messiah's hand,
And raptur'd joins the universal song!
VI.
Join the universal song,Every heart and every tongue!
Spread all your wings, ye winds and bear
The blest glad tidings through the air,
To earth's remotest plains:
Let every mournful scene be gay,
Let every gloomy night be day;
Nature raise thy various choir,
Wake the voice, and wake the lyre,
To extasy attune the joyful strains,
Resound Messiah comes! Messiah reigns!
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VII.
Messiah reigns, the Prince of peace!He came to save, he reigns to bless!
Fell rage, and terror now shall cease,
And amity, and love divine
With wide-diffusive lustre shine:
Auspicious Æra, hail! replete with joy!
No more the frighted pilgrim flies
The baleful haunts where serpents rise,
No serpents now his trembling steps annoy:
O'er scorching sands no more he pants, and toils,
Now cool streams murmur, blooming verdure smiles.
VIII.
No more the furious Lion waitsTo rush upon his helpless prey:
Danger dies, and fear retreats;
Messiah (great Protector) guards the way.
The sacred way Messiah shews,
Work of wisdom, work of power!
But hence, unhallow'd feet, begone,
Banish'd all Messiah's foes:
Humble travellers alone,
Who the King of Zion own,
Claim his protection, and his grace adore:
O'er all their steps his watchful care presides;
Nor fools shall err, for heavenly wisdom guides.
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IX.
Here shall the ransom'd of the LordForget their former care;
And while they sing, with sweet accord
In heaven-taught lays
Messiah's praise;
From his kind hand a thousand blessings share.
His hand shall lead them to the courts divine,
Where his full beams of love for ever shine,
Nor the least cloud of sorrow can appear.
Happy state! where not a sigh
Heaves the bosom, nor the eye
That used to weep shall ever know a tear!
Celestial joy for ever sheds
Her balmy odours on their heads;
Every heart, and every tongue
Feels the bliss, and joins the song,
Immortal rapture tunes the heavenly strain;
The mind expanding, fill'd, adoring,
With ever new delight exploring
The boundless glories of Messiah's reign.
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