| |
| A GORGEOUS structure! rich with fretted gold | |
| And radiant with gems. A white robed choir, | |
| Sackbut and psaltery, and the tuneful harp | |
| Waft their sweet melody unto high Heaven. | |
| A mighty monarch bows his head in prayer. | 5 |
| What boon has he to ask of pitying Heaven? | |
| Seeks he for riches, or for pomp and power | |
| Or asks he vengeance on unconquered foes? | |
| Peace! peace! he breathes a lowly prayer to Heaven, | |
| Even for others’ sins as for his own, | 10 |
| Asking forgiveness. | |
| |
| Father! when man forgetting Thy just decree, | |
| Shall wrong his brother, and by fraud or wile | |
| Pervert the holy faith that leads to Thee | |
| And turn his heart to sinfulness and guile; | 15 |
| Yet when they both are brought before Thy face, | |
| And purer feelings in each bosom strive, | |
| Hear Thou and judge in heaven Thy dwelling-place | |
| And when Thou hearest, have mercy and forgive. | |
| |
| When Thy frail children, for their many sins, | 20 |
| Shall smart beneath the oppressor’s iron rod, | |
| And when the tortured conscience first begins | |
| To waken to the anger of its God; | |
| Then when they come to Thee, that erring race, | |
| And pray that Thou the heavy load remove, | 25 |
| Hear Thou in heaven Thy holy dwelling-place, | |
| And when Thou hearest forgive, oh! God of love! | |
| |
| And when the heavens are shut, and the parched land | |
| Must bear the burden of their sinful way, | |
| And Thou shalt teach them with Thy mighty hand, | 30 |
| And bend their stubborn hearts to own Thy sway,— | |
| And they repent and turn towards this place, | |
| Let not Thine ear be deaf unto their voice; | |
| But hear Thou from Thy heavenly throne of grace, | |
| Hear and forgive the children of Thy choice. | 35 |
| |
| And when the stranger, for Thy great name’s sake | |
| Turneth toward this house, oh! mighty King, | |
| Whatever supplication he may make, | |
| Whatever sin or sorrow he may bring; | |
| Yet when he bendeth here to ask Thy grace, | 40 |
| And prayeth Israel’s God to heal his grief. | |
| Hear Thou in Heaven, Thy dwelling-place, | |
| And when Thou hearest, forgive and grant relief. | |
| |
| If any sin (and what man sinneth not), | |
| And Thou art wroth and angered with their shame, | 45 |
| And the sad captive’s lone and bitter lot | |
| Be theirs, until they call upon Thy name; | |
| Yet when they turn repentant towards this place, | |
| And pray to Thee in supplicating tone, | |
| Hear Thou in heaven Thy holy throne of grace, | 50 |
| Forgive and have compassion on Thine own. | |
| |
| No gorgeous temple, rich with fretted gold | |
| And bright with flashing gems, now meets our eye; | |
| No holy prophet king, like him of old, | |
| Now offers up our sacrifice on high; | 55 |
| Yet when we come with prayer to seek Thy face | |
| Each with sin’s burning plague-spot in his breast, | |
| Hear Thou, oh God! in heaven Thy dwelling-place | |
| And when Thou hearest, forgive, and grant us rest. | |
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