Devotional Verses Founded on and Illustrative of select Texts of Scripture [by Bernard Barton] |
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THE HARP OF DAVID. |
 | Devotional Verses |  |
THE HARP OF DAVID.
“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon
Saul, that David took an harp and played with his hand: so Saul
was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from
him.”
—1 Samuel, xvi. 23.
Oh! for the harp that David swept,
At whose divine entrancing sound
The evil spirit distance kept,
While holier visions hover'd round:
Oh! for such harp in these our days,
To speak a God's, a Saviour's praise.
At whose divine entrancing sound
The evil spirit distance kept,
While holier visions hover'd round:
Oh! for such harp in these our days,
To speak a God's, a Saviour's praise.
Then e'en on earth might song outpour
That sweet, that full, triumphant strain
Whose grateful notes should heaven-ward soar,
And there a gracious audience gain;
While here below its hallow'd power
Should aid devotion's happiest hour.
That sweet, that full, triumphant strain
Whose grateful notes should heaven-ward soar,
And there a gracious audience gain;
While here below its hallow'd power
Should aid devotion's happiest hour.
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Christian, wouldst thou such harp possess,
May grace anoint thine eye to see,
And on thy mind this truth impress—
The heart that instrument may be:
For never harp or lyre reveal'd
Such music as the heart can yield.
May grace anoint thine eye to see,
And on thy mind this truth impress—
The heart that instrument may be:
For never harp or lyre reveal'd
Such music as the heart can yield.
Not in its unregenerate state
Canst thou expect those strains to hear;
By sin unstrung, its accents grate
In discord on a heaven-touch'd ear;
Renew'd by grace, and tuned by love,
Its harmony ascends above.
Canst thou expect those strains to hear;
By sin unstrung, its accents grate
In discord on a heaven-touch'd ear;
Renew'd by grace, and tuned by love,
Its harmony ascends above.
Oh then with melody it seems
To vibrate from each trembling string;
Each kindling thought and feeling teems
With songs as sweet as seraphs sing;
And music art could never frame
Is breath'd to its Redeemer's name.
To vibrate from each trembling string;
Each kindling thought and feeling teems
With songs as sweet as seraphs sing;
And music art could never frame
Is breath'd to its Redeemer's name.
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