O THOU who gatherest with loving arm The tender lambs, who in each dark alarm Wilt fold them safely,—listen to my prayer Borne upward on the silent morning air! O Saviour, e'en to these extend Thy love, And let them know its sweetness—from above Pour down on them Thy Spirit's quickening showers That they may flourish as sweet heaven-born flowers! O let Thy smile beam on them, let them be For ever gladdened with its radiancy! May they reflect Thine image pure and bright As burnished silver, spotless in Thy sight; Cleansed by Thy blood from every sinful stain, Let not its free stream pour for them in vain. When Thou in glory at the last Great Day Shalt come, when earth and heaven shall flee away, When, waking at the archangel's clarion sound The sleeping ones arise and gather round The great tiibunal, then let each one here At Thy right hand redeemed and saved appear, And in the Book of Life let each one be @3Inscribed@1 as in eternal lines by Thee! O Saviour, let @3each@1 name be @3written@1 there, Not one be wanted in those pages gleaming! Hear, Shepherd of the lambs, this fervent prayer, For ever be Thy blessings o'er them streaming! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CHRONICLE; A BALLAD by ABRAHAM COWLEY IDEA: TO THE READER OF THESE SONNETS, INTRODUCTION by MICHAEL DRAYTON SCHOOL AND SCHOOLFELLOWS; FLOREAT ETONA by WINTHROP MACKWORTH PRAED THE GALLOWS by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 3. BEAUTY UNLOOKED FOR by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |