W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.

The Fulness of the Times

Walter Chalmers Smith (1824–1908)

‘When the fulness of the times was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman.’—GAL. IV. 4.

EARTH was waiting spent and restless,

With a mingled hope and fear;

And the faithful few were sighing,

‘Surely, Lord, the day is near;

The Desire of all the nations,

It is time He should appear?’

Still the gods were in the temples,

But the ancient faith had fled;

And the priests stood by their altars,

Only for a piece of bread;

And the oracles were silent,

And the prophets all were dead.

In the sacred courts of Zion,

Where the Lord had His abode,

There the money-changers trafficked

And the sheep and oxen trod;

And the world, because of wisdom,

Knew not either Lord or God.

Then the spirit of the Highest

On a Virgin meek came down,

And He burdened her with blessing,

And He pained her with renown;

For she bare the Lord’s Anointed

For His cross and for His crown.

Earth for Him had groaned and travailed

Since the ages first began;

For in Him was hid the secret

That through all the ages ran—

Son of Mary, Son of David,

Son of God, and Son of Man.