Life and existence out of Thee begin. Mysterious more, the more displayed, where still Upon thy glorious Throne thou sitt'st alone; Hast sat alone; and shalt for ever sit Alone; invisible, immortal One! Behind essential brightness unbeheld. Incomprehensible! what weight shall weigh? What measure measure Thee? what know we more, Of Thee, what need to know, than Thou hast taught, And bid'st us still repeat, at morn and even God! everlasting Father! holy One! Our God, our Father, our Eternal All. Source whence we came; and whither we return; Who made our spirits, who our bodies made; Who made the heaven, who made the flowery land; Who made all made; who orders, governs all: Who walks upon the wind; who holds the wave In hollow of thy hand; whom thunders wait; Whom tempests serve; whom flaming fires obey: Who guides the circuit of the endless years: And sitt'st on high, and mak'st creation's top Thy footstool; and behold'st below Thee, allAll nought, all less than nought, and vanity. Like transient dust that hovers on the scale, Ten thousand worlds are scattered in thy breath. Thou sitt'st on high, and measures destinies, And days, and months, and wide revolving years: And dost according to thy holy will; And none can stay thy hand; and none withhold Thy glory; for in judgment, Thou, as well As mercy, art exalted, day and night. Past, present, future, magnify thy name. Thy saints adore, and on thy altars burn The fragrant incense of perpetual love, They praise Thee now: their hearts, their voices, praise, And swell the rapture of the glorious song. Harp! lift thy voice on high-shout, angels shout! And to the Lamb, who bought us with his blood; Us happy still, and Thee for ever blest. Forever, and forever more. Amen. And those who stood upon the sea of glass; And those who stood upon the battlements, And lofty towers of New Jerusalem; And those who circling stood, bowing afar, Exalted on the everlasting hills, Thousands of thousands-thousands infinite With voice of boundless love, answered: Amen. And through eternity, near, and remote, The worlds adoring, echoed back: Amen. And God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost- And every eye, and every face in heaven, Nor did he not-the Virtue new arrived, From Godhead gain an individual smile, Of high acceptance, and of welcome high, such As angels love and all the trees of heaven, Rejoicing on the mountains, clapped their hands. |