| |
OH, torn and nailéd hands, | |
| Yet by no nails held fast; | |
| Only by force of dear, Divine commands, | |
| And love, on to the last! | |
| |
| Oh, healing Hands and strong, | 5 |
| By love and pain held fast! | |
| Ere to this torture yielded up so long, | |
| What was it they did last? | |
| |
| They took the festal cup, | |
| Gave it to drink to all, | 10 |
| And with the wine of God they filled it up— | |
| Drops from Thy heart that fall. | |
| |
| They took the Paschal bread, | |
| But common bread before; | |
| And one High Feast for all the ages spread, | 15 |
| Which faileth never more. | |
| |
| They washed the way-worn feet, | |
| (Master in ministry!) | |
| Washed off the common dust of path and street | |
| From feet which followed Thee! | 20 |
| |
| They healed the wounded foe, | |
| (One touch, as in the past,) | |
| Healing the foe, though friends had struck the blow; | |
| ’Twas this those Hands did last. | |
| |
| Oh, blessed feet, to tread | 25 |
| No more for us Earth’s round! | |
| What were the latest willing steps they sped | |
| Ere pierced thus, and bound? | |
| |
| Three times they went one way | |
| In dark Gethsemane; | 30 |
| Thou badest Thy beloved watch and pray,— | |
| Watch but one hour with Thee! | |
| |
| Three journeys, all in vain, | |
| To see what watch they keep; | |
| Craving one touch of sympathetic pain, | 35 |
| And finding all asleep! | |
| |
| Oh, lips now parched and white | |
| In death, what said they last? | |
| Ere on them, through the tumult of that night, | |
| Majestic silence passed. | 40 |
| |
| For the disciples’ sake, | |
| What was the last they said? | |
| ‘Let not your heart be troubled,’ (Thine must break!) | |
| ‘Nor let it be afraid.’ | |
| |
| Shepherd! in mortal pain, | 45 |
| Still caring for the sheep! | |
| We know no word nor touch of Thine were vain, | |
| All in our depths sink deep. | |
| |
| E’er since that dread night’s strain | |
| Some fail not watch to keep; | 50 |
| Oh, come and see, and try us once again, | |
| And find us not asleep! | |
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