Address to the Deity

O thou unutterable Potentate!
Through nature’s vast extent sublimely great!
Thy lovely form the flower-decked field discloses,
Thy smiles are seen in nature’s sunny face:
Milk-coloured lilies and wild-blushing roses
Are bright with Thee:--Thy voice of gentleness
Speaks in the light-winged whispering zephyrs playing
Midst the young boughs, or o’er the meadows straying:
Thy breath gives life to all; below, above,
And all things revel in Thy light and love.
But here, on these gigantic mountains, here
Thy greatness, glory, wisdom, strength and spirit,
In terrible sublimity appear;
Thy awe-imposing voice is heard,--we hear it!
Th’ Almighty’s fearful voice; attend, it breaks
The silence, and in solemn warnings speaks:
His the light tones that whisper midst the trees;
His, his the whistling of the busy breeze;
His, the storm-thunder roaring, rattling round,
When element with element makes war
Amidst the echoing mountains: on whose bound,
Whose highest bound he drives his fiery car
Glowing like molten-iron; or enshrin’d
In robes of darkness, riding on the wind
Across the clouded vault of heaven:--What eye
Has not been dazzled by Thy majesty?
Where is the ear that has not heard Thee speak?
Thou breathest!--forest-oaks of centuries
Turn their uprooted trunks towards the skies.
Thou thunderest!--adamantine mountains break,
Tremble, and totter, and apart are riven;
Thou lightenest! and the rocks inflame; Thy power
Of fire to their metallic bosom driven,
Melts and devours them;--Lo! they are no more:--
They pass away like wax in the fierce flame,
Or the thick mists that frown upon the sun,
Which he but glances at and they are gone;
Or like the sparkling snow upon the hill,
When noon-tide darts its penetrating beam.
What do I say? At GOD’S almighty will,
The affrighted world falls headlong from its sphere,
Planets and suns and systems disappear!
But Thy eternal throne--Thy palace bright,
Zion--stands steadfast in unchanging might;
Zion--Thy own peculiar seat--Thy home!
But here, O GOD! here is Thy temple too:
Heaven’s sapphire arch is its resplendent dome;
Its columns--trees that have for ages stood;
Its incense is the flower-perfumed dew;
Its symphony--the music of the wood;
Its ornaments--the fairest gems of spring;
Its altar is the stony mountain proud!
Lord! from this shrine to Thy abode I bring
Trembling, devotion’s tribute--though not loud.
Nor pomp-accompanied: Thy praise I sing,
And Thou wilt deign to hear the lowly offering.