NOT unto us, O Lord, Not unto us the rapture of the day, The peace of night, or love's divine surprise, High heart, high speech, high deeds 'mid honouring eyes; For at Thy word All these are taken away. Not unto us, O Lord: To us thou givest the scorn, the scourge, the scar, The ache of life, the loneliness of death, The insufferable sufficiency of breath; And with Thy sword Thou piercest very far. Not unto us, O Lord: Nay, Lord, but unto her be all things given -- My light and life and earth and sky be blasted -- But let not all that wealth of loss be wasted: Let Hell afford The pavement of her Heaven! |