Written for the Dedication Services at Oakfield Road Church, Clifton. 13th Nov. 1864.
A house to God the Monarch built,
For altars high and incense sweet;
‘Twas richly carved,—’twas gaily gilt,—
For sacrifice and worship meet.
Then said the Monarch, “Lord, I see
My house is all unworthy Thee.
Unworthy Thee, whom highest heaven,
Whom heaven of heavens, cannot contain;
Whose greatness human thought hath striven
To compass, or conceive in vain.
Yet in thy house my heart shall be,
Hallowing Thy name perpetually.”
We, too, have raised our temple pile
Unworthy Thee,—and yet we pray,
Father! for Thy benignant smile
To bless the deed, to bless the day
Which dedicates another shrine
To holy thoughts and hopes divine.
Here let the songs of praise be heard,
The earnest reverential prayer,
And Truth’s sublime eternal word
Be ever boldly uttered here;
And worshippers and worship be
Acceptable, O God, to Thee!
(John Bowring)
More Poetry from John Bowring:
John Bowring Poems based on Topics: Heaven, God, Fathers, Prayers, Christianity, Praise, Monarchy, Will & Determination- Spring: Friday Morning (John Bowring Poems)
- Summer: Friday Morning: To The Incomprehens (John Bowring Poems)
- Spring: Sunday Evening (John Bowring Poems)
- Spring: Tuesday Evening (John Bowring Poems)
- Autumn: Thursday Evening: The Presence of God (John Bowring Poems)
- Spring: Monday Evening (John Bowring Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: God Poems, Heaven Poems, Christianity Poems, Prayers Poems, Fathers Poems, Praise Poems, Will & Determination Poems, Monarchy PoemsBased on Keywords: nov, clifton, dedicates, oakfield, gilt-
- Belphegor Addressed To Miss De Chammelay (Jean de La Fontaine Poems)
- The Pastoral, Or Lyric Muse Of Scotland. Canto Second (Hector MacNeill Poems)
- The Art Of War. Book I. (Henry James Pye Poems)
- A Poem, Upon a Prospect of the Marriage of the Prince of Wales (James Hurdis Poems)
- Queen Mab: Part III. (Percy Bysshe Shelley Poems)