Classic Poem

1.

To God belongs th' eternal Sway;
Let Earth with joy his Will obey
Exult, ye Isles that crown the Main,
Blest in his mild auspicious Reign.

2.

The station'd Clouds around him meet,
And Darkness rolls beneath his feet;
While Equity and Truth combine
To rear aloft his awful shrine.

3.

Before him walks the wasting Fire;
Wrapt in the blast his foes expire;
While Earth, convuls'd, in dire dismay,
Beholds the forky lightnings play, —

4.

And down, like wax before the flame,
Down flows the Mountain's solid frame,
That late, ambitious, met the sky;
For God, the World's great Lord, is nigh.

5.

His righteous Acts the Heav'ns display,
His fame from pole to pole convey,
And bid the Majesty divine
To ev'ry eye conspicuous shine.

6.

Shame to the Wretch that wood and stones
The Objects of his homage owns,
And frantic to the Creature pays
The Maker's interverted praise.

7.

Ye Gods, his sov'reign Might avow,
And rev'rent at his footstool bow;
Submissive at the hallow'd Shrine
Adore the Majesty divine.

8.

Well-pleas'd thy Counsels, Lord, to hear,
Imperial Salem bows the ear;
And Judah 's happy Daughters sing
The Mercies of th' eternal King.

9.

Thou, Lord, in Majesty serene
Exalted o'er the Earth art seen:
What Pow'r, great God, shall boast a Name
Like Thine? Like Thee our homage claim?

10.

Ye Souls with Love divine impress'd;
Just to its precepts, Sin detest;
Averse from each injurious art,
Let evil from your thoughts depart:

11.

Each fear deliver'd to the wind,
In God your certain refuge find,
Whose pow'r protects the pious Band,
Tho' Myriads, leagu'd, against them stand.

12.

To You, ye Good, to You alone
The seeds of heav'nly light are sown,
That wake within the human breast
Joys ne'er by human tongue express'd.

13.

O crown'd with Mercies from above,
To God your grateful zeal approve:
His Sanctity revere; his Name
In hymns of loudest praise proclaim.