Part V

Saw the earth by sin destroy'd,
And lo! it lay wrapt up in night,
A chaos without form, and void,
And robb'd of all its heavenly light.

I saw, and lo! the mountains shook.
The hills moved lightly to and fro,
The birds had all the sky forsook,
Nor man, nor beast appear'd below.

I saw, and lo! the fruitful place
Was to a ghastly desert turn'd,
Beneath Jehovah's frowning face
The ghastly desert droop'd and mourn'd.

The nation suddenly o'erthrown
I saw before the waster's sword;
The cities all were broken down
In presence of their angry Lord.

For thus their angry Lord hath spoke,
The land shall soon be all laid waste:
Yet will I to the remnant look,
And spare the weeping few at last.

I will not utterly consume.
Or make a full destructive end,
But change My desolate people's doom,
And every humbled soul befriend.