The Presence of God worth dying for; or, the Death of Moses.
I
Lord, 'tis an infinite delight
To see thy lovely face,
To dwell whole ages in thy sight,
And feel thy vital rays.
II
This Gabriel knows; and sings thy name
With rapture on his tongue;
Moses the saint enjoys the same,
And heav'n repeats the song.
III
While the bright nation sounds thy praise
From each eternal hill,
Sweet odours of exhaling grace
The happy region fill.
IV
Thy love, a sea without a shore,
Spreads life and joy abroad:
O 'tis a heav'n worth dying for
To see a smiling God!
V
Show me thy face, and I'll away
From all inferior things:
Speak, Lord, and here I quit my clay,
And stretch my airy wings.
VI
Sweet was the journey to the sky
The wondrous prophet try'd;
‘Climb up the mount.’ says God, ‘and die,’
The prophet climb'd and dy'd.
VII
Softly his fainting head he lay
Upon his Maker's breast,
His Maker kiss'd his soul away,
And laid his flesh to rest.
VIII
In God's own arms he left the breath
That God's own Spirit gave;
His was the noblest road to death,
And his the sweetest grave.
