God Bids, And Lo!

Representative Text

1 God bids, and lo! a burning waste,
Where rolled the floods before,
And, touched by the descending blast,
The springs are seen no more.

2 Sad witness of some dire offense,
Behold the fertile soil
No more its wonted gifts dispense,
But mock the tiller’s toil.

3 He bids, and o’er the desert wide
The liquid lake is spread;
New springs the thirsty earth divide,
And murmuring lift the head.

4 There myriads, late with hunger wan,
By Him assembled, meet;
There pleased the future city plan,
And fix their sure retreat.

5 And now they sow the foodful grain,
The tender vine they rear;
Now waves the harvest o’er the plain,
And plenty crowns the year.

6 Blest in His care, the sires with joy
A numerous race behold;
Nor dares disease their herds annoy,
Or waste the peopled fold.

7 His works attentive while it sees,
The Heav’n-instructed mind
Shall own, how equal His decrees,
His providence, how kind!

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #8179

Author: James Merrick

Merrick, James , M.A., was born in 1720, and educated at Oxford, where he became a Fellow of Trinity College. He entered Holy Orders, but his health would not admit of parish work. He died at Reading, 1769. His publications include:— (1) Messiah, a Divine Essay. Humbly dedicated to the Reverend the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and the Visitors of the Free School in Reading. By James Merrick, Ætat. 14, Senior Scholar of the School at their last Terminal Visitation, the 7th of October, 1734. Reading. (2) The Destruction of Troy. Translated from the Greek of Tryphiodorus into English Verse, with Notes, &c. 1742. (3) Poems on Sacred Subjects. Oxford . 1763. (4) The Psalms of David Translated or Paraphrased in English Verse… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: God bids, and lo! a burning waste
Title: God Bids, And Lo!
Author: James Merrick
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #8179
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The Cyber Hymnal #8179

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