Religion

Psalm CXIV (from Milton's Greek)

by John Milton 1608–1674

Translated by William Cowper (1808) · From Latin and Italian Poems (Cowper)

Religion

When Israel by Jehovah call'd
From Egypt's hostile plain,
Pour'd forth in numbers as the Sand
And sought the adjacent main:
Then God descended from on high
To lead the favour'd Race
To rule o'er Jacob, & his Name
In Judah's Tribe to place.
The Sea at their approach alarm'd
In wild amazement fled
And Jordan's flood was driven back
Within it's fountainhead.
The Mountains from their basis shook
Confess'd the Parent God!
With sudden throws like Rams they skipp'd
And broken, fell abroad.
The little Hills by the same power
Were from their Center torn
Like Lambs resistless they gave way
In Tumult wild, upborn.
Ye Waves what strange amazement, say,
Seiz'd on you that you fled?
Thou Jordan too! On Israel's march,
Why driven to thy Head?
Ye Mountains whence this sudden fright
That shook you from your base?
And whence, ye little Hills, your flight
From Israel's chosen Race?
Tremble thou Earth! Jehovah leads,
And guards the might Host!
That God, who by his awful Word,
Commands the Stream to flow
From flinty Rocks; & pouring thence,
To form the Lake below.

MLA

Milton, John. “Psalm CXIV (from Milton's Greek).” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/milton/81/.

Chicago

Milton, John. “Psalm CXIV (from Milton's Greek).” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/milton/81/.

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