Poems (Terry, 1861)/Prayer

by Rose Terry Cooke

For works with similar titles, see Prayer.

PRAYER.

Oh, Love divine, ineffable!
 Help the weak heart that strays from thee!
And battling with the hosts of hell,
 Doubts or despairs of victory:
 For Thou hast died upon the tree,
Thine anguish poured in bloody sweat,
And can thy yearning heart forget
 The first-fruits of that agony?
 O Lord, in glory, think on me!

Thy tenderness no mother knows,
 Not she who sees her darling pine,
And weeps that dying shadows close
 Above the lamb she knows is thine;
 But Thou, my God, art all divine!
Thy banished shall return again;
Thy life poured out like summer rain—
 Those dying pangs exchanged for mine—
 Are not an alien's birth-right sign.

I know that from the depths of sin,
 The uttermost abyss of woe,
Thine arm my trembling soul shall win,
 Thy piercing eyes thy child shall know.
 Though mortal love forget to flow—
Though mortal faith grow cold and die—
Thy love is called eternity,
 Thy truth is morning's orient glow,
 And wide as space shall ever grow.

Come, prince of darkness, with thy bands!
 Their leaguered host a child defies,
For He who holds me in his hands
 Shall like a stern avenger rise,
 And turn on thee those heavenly eyes
That tears of pity shed for me;
But burn with judgment over thee
 And those who dare his love despise,—
 Then stoop and bear me to the skies.