Lord! to whose being ages are but moments,
Fugitive moments! Thou, Eternal Father!
Listen in mercy—for life’s passing shadows
Soon will be scatter’d.
‘Tis Thy bright presence makes all nature pregnant,
Pregnant with beauty—’tis Thy sacred presence
Fills all creation.—I am but an atom—
Deign, Lord! to hear me.
Glorious and mighty! Thy right hand of greatness
Upholds existence.—What is man before Thee?
Vanity, ashes—indigence and folly:
Smile, then, benignly!
Fountain of wisdom! Spirit of creation!
Life-source of blessing!—hear the humble praises
Of Thy poor pilgrim, whose short day of sadness
Soon will be over!
Thy searching spirit sees departed ages,
Ages in embryo—ages veil’d in darkness,
Present and future—all alike unravell’d:—
I am but blindness.
Highly exalted on Thy throne of glory,
Being unchanging! do Thou help my weakness
From the o’erflowings of Thy strength, O Father!
Help Thou my weakness.
‘Tis Thy proud arm that yon abyss divideth,
Blots out the planets, gives the stars their splendour,
Rules o’er infinity, uncontroll’d and mighty;—
I am as nothing.
E’en the plumed songster, wandering thro’ creation;
E’en the poor insect, living in the sunbeam;
E’en the scorn’d earth-worm, at our feet extended,
All share Thy mercy.
Deign, then, to hear me, Father! deign to bless me!
Nothing too lowly for Thy smiles benignant;
Nothing too trifling for Thy care, Thy kindness—
I, too, may share them.
Infinite Being—Living One! Eternal!
Wise and unchanging—Father, Holy Father!
Look from Thy throne of brightness and of glory
On this Thy suppliant!
(John Bowring)
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