Religion

Hymn

by William Selwyn dates not given by Wilmot

From The Poetry of South Africa (1887)

Religion

O Saviour throned in peace above
Reveal Thy piercèd side,
And let the vision of Thy love
Stay war’s remorseless tide;
Risen Saviour, hear!

For white, for black, alike didst Thou
Low bow Thy fainting head;
For all of ev’ry clime and hue,
Didst Thou thy heart’s blood shed.
Suffering Saviour, hear!

Behold fair Afric’s sunny lands
With reeking carnage strewed,
See God-made man with rigid hands
In brother’s blood imbrued;
Sorrowing Saviour, hear!

O hear the Briton’s dying groan,
The Zulu’s piercing wail;
O hear the famished orphan’s moan,
The widow’s sobbing tale;
Pitying Saviour, hear!

In mercy stay the quiv’ring spear;
Avert the death-winged ball;
Pour balm for ev’ry scalding tear,
And breathe Thy peace o’er all.
Mighty Saviour, hear!

Draw weary warriors round Thy feet
By love’s constraining cord;
There let the scattered nations meet,
And hail Thee Sov’reign Lord.
Gracious Saviour, hear!

MLA

Selwyn, William. “Hymn.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/selwyn_w/4/.

Chicago

Selwyn, William. “Hymn.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/selwyn_w/4/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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