Poems (Gifford)/Deliverance

by Elizabeth Gifford

For works with similar titles, see Deliverance.

DELIVERANCE.

They stood upon the Red Sea coast
 In terror and dismay,
Behind was Pharaoh's hostile host
 In threatening array,
And at their feet the sea, wind-tossed,
 In awful grandeur lay.

Oh, trial sore for pilgrim's faith!
 Doth their Deliverer know
Hark! for he speaks: Jehovah saith,
 "Let Israel forward go!"
Forward? Sure there is certain death,
 And death to face the foe.

But when at the Divine command
 Their leader lifts his rod,
Lo! the deep sea becomes dry land,
 Obedient to its God:
With water-walls on either hand,
 Behold an easy road!

And through they pass triumphantly;
 Yet, ah! there comes along,
By that same pathway through the sea
 The feared Egyptian throng.
How now, O Israel! Must thine be
 The ruin shunned so long?

Oh, why art thou so sore distrest?
 Shout, for the Lord hath slain
Thy mighty foes; see, where they rest
 Beneath the surging main,
Whose waves at the Divine behest
 Roll to their place again.

Lord, when to such a strait our feet
 In trembling fear are led,
Cut off behind from all retreat,
 By terrors met ahead,
When Thy command that we proceed
 Does but increase our dread,

Come, and afresh to us relate
 The wonders Thou hast wrought,
And let the tale our fears abate,
 Let our sad hearts be taught
Still patiently for Thee to wait,
 And trust Thee as we ought.

Open a path amid the sea
 And put our doubt to shame,
Let us Thy full salvation see,
 And triumph in Thy name.
Then may Thy praise our business be,
 Thy glory all our aim.