Poems (Toke)/Psalm XCI

by Emma Toke

PSALM XCI.

E who beneath the guardian wing
Of God most high can firmly cling,
 Shall safe within His shadow rest;
Yea, to the Lord he still may say,
Thou art my rock, my hope, my stay,—
 My God, who trusts in Thee is blessed.

For surely He who gave thee breath
Will guard thee from the blast of death,
 And snares that o'er thy pathway spread;
And thou mayst rest beneath His wing,
For He shall be thy covering,
 His truth thy fortress, shield, and shade.

Thou shalt not fear night's gloomy powers,
Nor darts which strike in brighter hours
 Not e'en that messenger of fear,
The pestilence which walks in night,
Yet wastes as swift in noonday light,
 Shall wring from thee one trembling tear.

For though around thee every hour,
Thousands may fall to rise no more,
 Smote by the dread Avenger's sword,
It never shall come nigh to thee;
But thou mayst calmly gaze, and sec
 The end of those who hate the Lord.

For oh! because thou long hast made
That God, who is my shield and shade,
 Thy joy, thy refuge in distress,
No evil shall thy lot o'ercast,
No plague shall breathe its deadly blast,
 To blight thy home of blessedness.

For He will give thee to the care
Of angel legions bright and fair,
 Who waiting stand around His throne;
And they shall safely keep thee now,
And bear thee in their hands, lest thou
 Shouldst dash thy foot against a stone.

On lions thou shalt safely tread,
And trample on the serpent's head,
 For I the Lord will guard thee still;
Yea, high o'er all thy name shall be,
For thou hast set thy love on Me,
 And known and done My holy will.

When thou shalt call, then I will hear;
In trouble I will still be near,
 To help, to save, to honour thee.
With length of days thou shalt be blessed,
And safely led to realms of rest,
 There ever with thy Lord to be.

E.

November 24, 183