The Gospel Miracles :: :: University of Virginia Library

“Hosanna to our Israel's King, to royal David's son!
All blessings crown from God most High the heir of David's throne!
On Him, who in Jehovah's name appears, may glory rest!
Hosanna! Blessed be our King, and be his kingdom blest!”

From Bethphage, and Bethany, and Olivet's fair mount,
To Salem's walls, and Sion's towers, by Siloa's holy fount,
By countless crowds together met the far-resounding road
Is all with garments carpeted, with palm-tree branches strow'd.

And ever, as along they go, they lift the joyous voice;
And in the works miraculous, which God hath wrought, rejoice:
And, “Blest be David's royal Son,” aloud they shout and sing,
“Who cometh in Jehovah's name! Hosanna to our King!”

But who is he, all in the midst of that triumphant throng,
Who moves, with gentle pace and slow, like pilgrim meek, along?
No stately car I see him mount; no warrior horse bestride;
He sits upon an ass's colt, the patient dam beside.

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Yet still the thronging multitudes are aye on him intent;
For him each palm-deck'd hand is wav'd; on him each eye is bent:
And aye to him the shout is rais'd, as calm he passes on,
“Hosanna in Jehovah's name to royal David's Son!”

Shout, well ye may; 'tis He, the same announc'd by God of old;
Foreseen in visions far away, by far off bards foretold:
“Daughter of Sion, lift,” they say, “the gratulating cry:
Shout, daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy King is nigh.”

Forth thro' his realm in righteousness majestick shall he ride,
With, brighter than the morning star, salvation at his side;
On him, for pride of royalty, humility shall wait;
And for a steed, an ass's foal his equipage of state.”

Ev'n such he comes! Then shout amain, and lift the Hosanna high,
That to the sound Jerusalem may listen and reply.
Tho' Israel's teachers on the scene with eyes malignant look,
And Israel's scornful Pharisees his followers' zeal rebuke;

Forbear not ye, who swell his pomp, the anthem loud to raise,
Nor thou, Jerusalem, forbear to echo back his praise;
For should thy children fail the song of jubilee to sing,
Thy very stones would answer make in welcome of thy King.

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And see, thro' Salem's ports he goes, and Sion's hill ascends;
And straightway to the temple gate, Jehovah's dwelling wends:
And those that buy, and those that sell, he chases forth o'eraw'd;
“Why make ye thus God's sanctuary the lurking place of fraud?”

There, as he sheds his healing rays, the Glory of the place,
The blind and lame around him press to supplicate his grace:
They hear, they feel, they bless the voice of goodness and of might;
The lame at once their strength regain, the blind receive their sight.

Then loud again the voice of praise and thanksgiving is heard;
And infants catch the festive cry, and babes repeat the word:
And loud the shout resounds, and loud the cries responsive ring,
“Hosanna to our David's Son! Hosanna to our King!”

Such sounds of praise, all sweet to hear; all goodly to behold,
Such sights of joy by prophecy foreshewn, by history told;
The Church exulting marks: and still, as years revolving bring
The appointed time to celebrate the Advent of her King;

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Warn'd by the seer's awakening voice, in visions of delight,
She joins the train from Olivet to Sion's templed height;
With eye upon her Saviour fix'd, as on the pomp proceeds,
She notes his meek and lowly mien, his high and holy deeds:

She sees the horse of Judah cease, and Ephraim's iron car,
The battle-bow all broken lie, and quench'd the shafts of war:
Peace to the world she sees him speak; and grasp with scepter'd hand
The eastern and the western sea, the flood and furthest land:

In thought the branching palm she waves, in emblem meet of praise;
And humbly on the ground in thought the outspread garment lays:
And cries, “Hosanna to the heir of royal David's throne!
Hosanna to our Israel's King, to God's incarnate Son!”