MOUNT HOREB.(5)Oh, Holy Mount! on every sideDeserts are stretching far and wide,Where thou, uptowering to the sky,}Dost shoot thy double head on high,}Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai;}And when the weary traveller stands,Alone amid the sterile sands,Seeking for water, vain pursuit,To quench his thirst, grown absolute,Groaning, as fainter grows his hope,For water!—water!—but a drop,His ever burning thirst t' appease;He through the sudden moonlight seesThy dark and shadowy masses rise,A solace to his weary eyes;Then gladly on he wends, for heBecomes refreshed at sight of thee;For well he knows, that springs and fruit,Above, below, thy sides salute;For o'er the wastes of Rephidim,There is no spot of peace for him,Until he reach the rock, whence burstA well, to quench the raging thirstOf Israel, when they murmured there,For water, in their deep despair.Thrice Sacred Mount! how oft hast thou,(Though none but pilgrims tread thee now,)Been hallowed as the blest abodeOf the Most High! Jehovah! God!Whene'er in furthering his planOf mercy and of love to man,He deigned to touch our earth, to holdCommunion with his Seers of old,His presence consecrated thee,His temple and his throne to be.'Twas on thy Mount that God, concealedWithin the burning bush, revealedTo Moses his command, to freeHis people from their slavery.There, from the midst of fire and flame,He did his perfect law proclaim:Then seemed God's presence in their sight,A great, a mighty burst of lightUpon thy topmost mount, a fireDevouring, brighter, deeper, higher,Than e'er their eyes beheld, a crownOf glory on thy head, that downThrough all the desert brightness past,Like wild flame from a holocaust:And gazing on thy glorious height,}Israel was dazzled by the sight}Of that intolerable light.}Pursued by persecution's flame,Elijah to the desert came;And as he rested in thy cave,Which shelter and concealment gave,God spoke! he lay entranced in fear,"Elijah! speak! what dost thou here?"He answered,—"Jezabel abhorredHath put the prophets to the sword,And I alone escaped, to beA prophet and a priest to thee."Then the Almighty gave command,"Go forth, and on the mountain stand!"But ere Elijah could reply,A great and mighty wind passed by,Which rent the mountains and the rocksIn pieces, by resistless shocks:The desert sands uprose afar,Moving like giant forms in war;But, when the tempest ceased to rave,Elijah still within the cave,Remained unhurt, unmoved, alone—A mighty earthquake's shock anonShook to its base the Sacred Mount,And soon a fire, like a small fount,Came bursting from the highest spot,Increasing, but consuming not.The earthquake vanished as it came,And after it that holy flame;And hark! a still small voice was heard,Like sweetest music from a bird;A still small voice! that speaks to youthOf wisdom, piety, and truth:Elijah heard—with solemn pace,(His mantle covering his face,)He rose and stood without the cave,Relying on God's power to save:The hurricane had past away,And calm and bright the prospect lay;Far up the double mountain stood,Varied by water and by wood;He saw the herbage thickly grow,The bubbling springs, and far belowHe saw the semicircular fount,That like a bent bow skirts the mount;He saw the desert spread beneath,Like an extended vale of death;He saw the blue sky far above,Light up in one bright blaze of love;A burst, of sunshine fell on him,To which all other light was dim;He heard again that still small voice,Which made his inmost heart rejoice:It was the Lord! and power he gaveElijah, to anoint and save.Thrice Blessed Mount! thou art a sign,A type of penitence divine;Whene'er in darkness and in fear,We wander in the desert drearOf sin, and doubt, the welcome lightOf truth breaks sudden on our sight;The heart becomes a hallowed dome,Where holy feelings find a home;For there the law of God secure,Makes every thought and impulse pure:Repentance may be slow to bringComfort and healing on its wing;The doubting sinner in despair,Asks, trembling, in a hurried prayer,If guilt like his, of foulest trace,Can hope for pardon and for grace:But, when such doubts are swept away,The still small voice of truth bears sway:For Jesus died and rose again,To free the world from guilt and pain:Jesus, the only Son of God,Like Moses, takes the gospel rod,And strikes the barren rock within,Hardened by wickedness and sin—Whence springs a living well, to freeThe thirsty soul from misery.He, like Elijah from his cave,Came to the world with power to save;And Israel, trusting to his aid,Shall innocent and pure be made;Redeemed, shall reach the heavenly land,Supported by his mighty hand.
Oh, Holy Mount! on every sideDeserts are stretching far and wide,Where thou, uptowering to the sky,}Dost shoot thy double head on high,}Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai;}And when the weary traveller stands,Alone amid the sterile sands,Seeking for water, vain pursuit,To quench his thirst, grown absolute,Groaning, as fainter grows his hope,For water!—water!—but a drop,His ever burning thirst t' appease;He through the sudden moonlight seesThy dark and shadowy masses rise,A solace to his weary eyes;Then gladly on he wends, for heBecomes refreshed at sight of thee;For well he knows, that springs and fruit,Above, below, thy sides salute;For o'er the wastes of Rephidim,There is no spot of peace for him,Until he reach the rock, whence burstA well, to quench the raging thirstOf Israel, when they murmured there,For water, in their deep despair.Thrice Sacred Mount! how oft hast thou,(Though none but pilgrims tread thee now,)Been hallowed as the blest abodeOf the Most High! Jehovah! God!Whene'er in furthering his planOf mercy and of love to man,He deigned to touch our earth, to holdCommunion with his Seers of old,His presence consecrated thee,His temple and his throne to be.'Twas on thy Mount that God, concealedWithin the burning bush, revealedTo Moses his command, to freeHis people from their slavery.There, from the midst of fire and flame,He did his perfect law proclaim:Then seemed God's presence in their sight,A great, a mighty burst of lightUpon thy topmost mount, a fireDevouring, brighter, deeper, higher,Than e'er their eyes beheld, a crownOf glory on thy head, that downThrough all the desert brightness past,Like wild flame from a holocaust:And gazing on thy glorious height,}Israel was dazzled by the sight}Of that intolerable light.}Pursued by persecution's flame,Elijah to the desert came;And as he rested in thy cave,Which shelter and concealment gave,God spoke! he lay entranced in fear,"Elijah! speak! what dost thou here?"He answered,—"Jezabel abhorredHath put the prophets to the sword,And I alone escaped, to beA prophet and a priest to thee."Then the Almighty gave command,"Go forth, and on the mountain stand!"But ere Elijah could reply,A great and mighty wind passed by,Which rent the mountains and the rocksIn pieces, by resistless shocks:The desert sands uprose afar,Moving like giant forms in war;But, when the tempest ceased to rave,Elijah still within the cave,Remained unhurt, unmoved, alone—A mighty earthquake's shock anonShook to its base the Sacred Mount,And soon a fire, like a small fount,Came bursting from the highest spot,Increasing, but consuming not.The earthquake vanished as it came,And after it that holy flame;And hark! a still small voice was heard,Like sweetest music from a bird;A still small voice! that speaks to youthOf wisdom, piety, and truth:Elijah heard—with solemn pace,(His mantle covering his face,)He rose and stood without the cave,Relying on God's power to save:The hurricane had past away,And calm and bright the prospect lay;Far up the double mountain stood,Varied by water and by wood;He saw the herbage thickly grow,The bubbling springs, and far belowHe saw the semicircular fount,That like a bent bow skirts the mount;He saw the desert spread beneath,Like an extended vale of death;He saw the blue sky far above,Light up in one bright blaze of love;A burst, of sunshine fell on him,To which all other light was dim;He heard again that still small voice,Which made his inmost heart rejoice:It was the Lord! and power he gaveElijah, to anoint and save.Thrice Blessed Mount! thou art a sign,A type of penitence divine;Whene'er in darkness and in fear,We wander in the desert drearOf sin, and doubt, the welcome lightOf truth breaks sudden on our sight;The heart becomes a hallowed dome,Where holy feelings find a home;For there the law of God secure,Makes every thought and impulse pure:Repentance may be slow to bringComfort and healing on its wing;The doubting sinner in despair,Asks, trembling, in a hurried prayer,If guilt like his, of foulest trace,Can hope for pardon and for grace:But, when such doubts are swept away,The still small voice of truth bears sway:For Jesus died and rose again,To free the world from guilt and pain:Jesus, the only Son of God,Like Moses, takes the gospel rod,And strikes the barren rock within,Hardened by wickedness and sin—Whence springs a living well, to freeThe thirsty soul from misery.He, like Elijah from his cave,Came to the world with power to save;And Israel, trusting to his aid,Shall innocent and pure be made;Redeemed, shall reach the heavenly land,Supported by his mighty hand.
Oh, Holy Mount! on every sideDeserts are stretching far and wide,Where thou, uptowering to the sky,}Dost shoot thy double head on high,}Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai;}And when the weary traveller stands,Alone amid the sterile sands,Seeking for water, vain pursuit,To quench his thirst, grown absolute,Groaning, as fainter grows his hope,For water!—water!—but a drop,His ever burning thirst t' appease;He through the sudden moonlight seesThy dark and shadowy masses rise,A solace to his weary eyes;Then gladly on he wends, for heBecomes refreshed at sight of thee;For well he knows, that springs and fruit,Above, below, thy sides salute;For o'er the wastes of Rephidim,There is no spot of peace for him,Until he reach the rock, whence burstA well, to quench the raging thirstOf Israel, when they murmured there,For water, in their deep despair.Thrice Sacred Mount! how oft hast thou,(Though none but pilgrims tread thee now,)Been hallowed as the blest abodeOf the Most High! Jehovah! God!Whene'er in furthering his planOf mercy and of love to man,He deigned to touch our earth, to holdCommunion with his Seers of old,His presence consecrated thee,His temple and his throne to be.'Twas on thy Mount that God, concealedWithin the burning bush, revealedTo Moses his command, to freeHis people from their slavery.There, from the midst of fire and flame,He did his perfect law proclaim:Then seemed God's presence in their sight,A great, a mighty burst of lightUpon thy topmost mount, a fireDevouring, brighter, deeper, higher,Than e'er their eyes beheld, a crownOf glory on thy head, that downThrough all the desert brightness past,Like wild flame from a holocaust:And gazing on thy glorious height,}Israel was dazzled by the sight}Of that intolerable light.}Pursued by persecution's flame,Elijah to the desert came;And as he rested in thy cave,Which shelter and concealment gave,God spoke! he lay entranced in fear,"Elijah! speak! what dost thou here?"He answered,—"Jezabel abhorredHath put the prophets to the sword,And I alone escaped, to beA prophet and a priest to thee."Then the Almighty gave command,"Go forth, and on the mountain stand!"But ere Elijah could reply,A great and mighty wind passed by,Which rent the mountains and the rocksIn pieces, by resistless shocks:The desert sands uprose afar,Moving like giant forms in war;But, when the tempest ceased to rave,Elijah still within the cave,Remained unhurt, unmoved, alone—A mighty earthquake's shock anonShook to its base the Sacred Mount,And soon a fire, like a small fount,Came bursting from the highest spot,Increasing, but consuming not.The earthquake vanished as it came,And after it that holy flame;And hark! a still small voice was heard,Like sweetest music from a bird;A still small voice! that speaks to youthOf wisdom, piety, and truth:Elijah heard—with solemn pace,(His mantle covering his face,)He rose and stood without the cave,Relying on God's power to save:The hurricane had past away,And calm and bright the prospect lay;Far up the double mountain stood,Varied by water and by wood;He saw the herbage thickly grow,The bubbling springs, and far belowHe saw the semicircular fount,That like a bent bow skirts the mount;He saw the desert spread beneath,Like an extended vale of death;He saw the blue sky far above,Light up in one bright blaze of love;A burst, of sunshine fell on him,To which all other light was dim;He heard again that still small voice,Which made his inmost heart rejoice:It was the Lord! and power he gaveElijah, to anoint and save.Thrice Blessed Mount! thou art a sign,A type of penitence divine;Whene'er in darkness and in fear,We wander in the desert drearOf sin, and doubt, the welcome lightOf truth breaks sudden on our sight;The heart becomes a hallowed dome,Where holy feelings find a home;For there the law of God secure,Makes every thought and impulse pure:Repentance may be slow to bringComfort and healing on its wing;The doubting sinner in despair,Asks, trembling, in a hurried prayer,If guilt like his, of foulest trace,Can hope for pardon and for grace:But, when such doubts are swept away,The still small voice of truth bears sway:For Jesus died and rose again,To free the world from guilt and pain:Jesus, the only Son of God,Like Moses, takes the gospel rod,And strikes the barren rock within,Hardened by wickedness and sin—Whence springs a living well, to freeThe thirsty soul from misery.He, like Elijah from his cave,Came to the world with power to save;And Israel, trusting to his aid,Shall innocent and pure be made;Redeemed, shall reach the heavenly land,Supported by his mighty hand.
Oh, Holy Mount! on every sideDeserts are stretching far and wide,Where thou, uptowering to the sky,}Dost shoot thy double head on high,}Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai;}And when the weary traveller stands,Alone amid the sterile sands,Seeking for water, vain pursuit,To quench his thirst, grown absolute,Groaning, as fainter grows his hope,For water!—water!—but a drop,His ever burning thirst t' appease;He through the sudden moonlight seesThy dark and shadowy masses rise,A solace to his weary eyes;Then gladly on he wends, for heBecomes refreshed at sight of thee;For well he knows, that springs and fruit,Above, below, thy sides salute;For o'er the wastes of Rephidim,There is no spot of peace for him,Until he reach the rock, whence burstA well, to quench the raging thirstOf Israel, when they murmured there,For water, in their deep despair.
Oh, Holy Mount! on every side
Deserts are stretching far and wide,
Where thou, uptowering to the sky,}
Dost shoot thy double head on high,}
Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai;}
And when the weary traveller stands,
Alone amid the sterile sands,
Seeking for water, vain pursuit,
To quench his thirst, grown absolute,
Groaning, as fainter grows his hope,
For water!—water!—but a drop,
His ever burning thirst t' appease;
He through the sudden moonlight sees
Thy dark and shadowy masses rise,
A solace to his weary eyes;
Then gladly on he wends, for he
Becomes refreshed at sight of thee;
For well he knows, that springs and fruit,
Above, below, thy sides salute;
For o'er the wastes of Rephidim,
There is no spot of peace for him,
Until he reach the rock, whence burst
A well, to quench the raging thirst
Of Israel, when they murmured there,
For water, in their deep despair.
Thrice Sacred Mount! how oft hast thou,(Though none but pilgrims tread thee now,)Been hallowed as the blest abodeOf the Most High! Jehovah! God!Whene'er in furthering his planOf mercy and of love to man,He deigned to touch our earth, to holdCommunion with his Seers of old,His presence consecrated thee,His temple and his throne to be.'Twas on thy Mount that God, concealedWithin the burning bush, revealedTo Moses his command, to freeHis people from their slavery.There, from the midst of fire and flame,He did his perfect law proclaim:Then seemed God's presence in their sight,A great, a mighty burst of lightUpon thy topmost mount, a fireDevouring, brighter, deeper, higher,Than e'er their eyes beheld, a crownOf glory on thy head, that downThrough all the desert brightness past,Like wild flame from a holocaust:And gazing on thy glorious height,}Israel was dazzled by the sight}Of that intolerable light.}
Thrice Sacred Mount! how oft hast thou,
(Though none but pilgrims tread thee now,)
Been hallowed as the blest abode
Of the Most High! Jehovah! God!
Whene'er in furthering his plan
Of mercy and of love to man,
He deigned to touch our earth, to hold
Communion with his Seers of old,
His presence consecrated thee,
His temple and his throne to be.
'Twas on thy Mount that God, concealed
Within the burning bush, revealed
To Moses his command, to free
His people from their slavery.
There, from the midst of fire and flame,
He did his perfect law proclaim:
Then seemed God's presence in their sight,
A great, a mighty burst of light
Upon thy topmost mount, a fire
Devouring, brighter, deeper, higher,
Than e'er their eyes beheld, a crown
Of glory on thy head, that down
Through all the desert brightness past,
Like wild flame from a holocaust:
And gazing on thy glorious height,}
Israel was dazzled by the sight}
Of that intolerable light.}
Pursued by persecution's flame,Elijah to the desert came;And as he rested in thy cave,Which shelter and concealment gave,God spoke! he lay entranced in fear,"Elijah! speak! what dost thou here?"He answered,—"Jezabel abhorredHath put the prophets to the sword,And I alone escaped, to beA prophet and a priest to thee."Then the Almighty gave command,"Go forth, and on the mountain stand!"But ere Elijah could reply,A great and mighty wind passed by,Which rent the mountains and the rocksIn pieces, by resistless shocks:The desert sands uprose afar,Moving like giant forms in war;But, when the tempest ceased to rave,Elijah still within the cave,Remained unhurt, unmoved, alone—A mighty earthquake's shock anonShook to its base the Sacred Mount,And soon a fire, like a small fount,Came bursting from the highest spot,Increasing, but consuming not.The earthquake vanished as it came,And after it that holy flame;And hark! a still small voice was heard,Like sweetest music from a bird;A still small voice! that speaks to youthOf wisdom, piety, and truth:Elijah heard—with solemn pace,(His mantle covering his face,)He rose and stood without the cave,Relying on God's power to save:The hurricane had past away,And calm and bright the prospect lay;Far up the double mountain stood,Varied by water and by wood;He saw the herbage thickly grow,The bubbling springs, and far belowHe saw the semicircular fount,That like a bent bow skirts the mount;He saw the desert spread beneath,Like an extended vale of death;He saw the blue sky far above,Light up in one bright blaze of love;A burst, of sunshine fell on him,To which all other light was dim;He heard again that still small voice,Which made his inmost heart rejoice:It was the Lord! and power he gaveElijah, to anoint and save.
Pursued by persecution's flame,
Elijah to the desert came;
And as he rested in thy cave,
Which shelter and concealment gave,
God spoke! he lay entranced in fear,
"Elijah! speak! what dost thou here?"
He answered,—"Jezabel abhorred
Hath put the prophets to the sword,
And I alone escaped, to be
A prophet and a priest to thee."
Then the Almighty gave command,
"Go forth, and on the mountain stand!"
But ere Elijah could reply,
A great and mighty wind passed by,
Which rent the mountains and the rocks
In pieces, by resistless shocks:
The desert sands uprose afar,
Moving like giant forms in war;
But, when the tempest ceased to rave,
Elijah still within the cave,
Remained unhurt, unmoved, alone—
A mighty earthquake's shock anon
Shook to its base the Sacred Mount,
And soon a fire, like a small fount,
Came bursting from the highest spot,
Increasing, but consuming not.
The earthquake vanished as it came,
And after it that holy flame;
And hark! a still small voice was heard,
Like sweetest music from a bird;
A still small voice! that speaks to youth
Of wisdom, piety, and truth:
Elijah heard—with solemn pace,
(His mantle covering his face,)
He rose and stood without the cave,
Relying on God's power to save:
The hurricane had past away,
And calm and bright the prospect lay;
Far up the double mountain stood,
Varied by water and by wood;
He saw the herbage thickly grow,
The bubbling springs, and far below
He saw the semicircular fount,
That like a bent bow skirts the mount;
He saw the desert spread beneath,
Like an extended vale of death;
He saw the blue sky far above,
Light up in one bright blaze of love;
A burst, of sunshine fell on him,
To which all other light was dim;
He heard again that still small voice,
Which made his inmost heart rejoice:
It was the Lord! and power he gave
Elijah, to anoint and save.
Thrice Blessed Mount! thou art a sign,A type of penitence divine;Whene'er in darkness and in fear,We wander in the desert drearOf sin, and doubt, the welcome lightOf truth breaks sudden on our sight;The heart becomes a hallowed dome,Where holy feelings find a home;For there the law of God secure,Makes every thought and impulse pure:Repentance may be slow to bringComfort and healing on its wing;The doubting sinner in despair,Asks, trembling, in a hurried prayer,If guilt like his, of foulest trace,Can hope for pardon and for grace:But, when such doubts are swept away,The still small voice of truth bears sway:For Jesus died and rose again,To free the world from guilt and pain:Jesus, the only Son of God,Like Moses, takes the gospel rod,And strikes the barren rock within,Hardened by wickedness and sin—Whence springs a living well, to freeThe thirsty soul from misery.He, like Elijah from his cave,Came to the world with power to save;And Israel, trusting to his aid,Shall innocent and pure be made;Redeemed, shall reach the heavenly land,Supported by his mighty hand.
Thrice Blessed Mount! thou art a sign,
A type of penitence divine;
Whene'er in darkness and in fear,
We wander in the desert drear
Of sin, and doubt, the welcome light
Of truth breaks sudden on our sight;
The heart becomes a hallowed dome,
Where holy feelings find a home;
For there the law of God secure,
Makes every thought and impulse pure:
Repentance may be slow to bring
Comfort and healing on its wing;
The doubting sinner in despair,
Asks, trembling, in a hurried prayer,
If guilt like his, of foulest trace,
Can hope for pardon and for grace:
But, when such doubts are swept away,
The still small voice of truth bears sway:
For Jesus died and rose again,
To free the world from guilt and pain:
Jesus, the only Son of God,
Like Moses, takes the gospel rod,
And strikes the barren rock within,
Hardened by wickedness and sin—
Whence springs a living well, to free
The thirsty soul from misery.
He, like Elijah from his cave,
Came to the world with power to save;
And Israel, trusting to his aid,
Shall innocent and pure be made;
Redeemed, shall reach the heavenly land,
Supported by his mighty hand.