O Lord that rul'st our mortal line, How through the world Thy name doth shine, That hast of Thine unmatched glory Upon the heavens engraven the story. From sucklings hath Thy honor sprung, Thy force hath flowed from baby's tongue Whereby Thou stop'st Thine enemy's prating, Bent to revenge and ever hating. When I upon the heavens do look, Which all from Thee their essence took, When moon and stars my thoughts beholdeth Whose life no life but of Thee holdeth, Then think I, ah, what is this man, Whom that great God remember can? And what the race of him descended It should be ought of God attended. For though in less than angel's state Thou planted hast this earthly mate Yet hast Thou made even him an owner Of glorious crown, and crowning honor. Thou placest him upon all lands To rule the works of Thine own hands And so Thou hast all things ordained That even his feet have on them reigned. Thou under his dominion placed Both sheep and oxen wholly hast, And all the beasts forever breeding Which in the fertile fields be feeding, The bird free burgess of the air, The fish of sea the native heir, And what things else of waters traceth The unworn paths, His rule embraceth. O Lord that rulest our mortal line, How through the world Thy name doth shine. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX by ROBERT BROWNING SOUND THE LOUD TIMBREL; MIRIAM'S SONG by THOMAS MOORE THE ROSARY by ROBERT CAMERON ROGERS AN INVOCATION by ISIDORE G. ASCHER DRAB BONNETS by BERNARD BARTON THE LAST MAN: BONA DE MORTUIS by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES MERCHANTS FROM CATHAY by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |