The praise be thine, Almighty, matchless King,
Whose care and power, my muse presumes to sing;
Whose tender care protects, while thousands sleep,
The wakeful sea-boy on the mighty deep.
Thou dost from perils screen his naked head,
Which in a moment fill the world with dread;
Thou, while thy lightnings flash, and thunders roll,
Dost whisper secret peace into his soul!
The praise be thine, whose interposing power,
Protected us across yon lonely moor,
And through that night of terror and alarm,
Mysteriously preserv'd us all from harm!
That night of awful peril we record,
Ascribing all the glory to the Lord;
When from yon distant Meeting we return'd,
And pious friends at home our absence mourn'd!
The moon and stars at once withdrew their light,
And thus increas'd the horrors of the night,
Loud claps of thunder shook the sons of pride,
And female courage was severely tried!
The time pass'd on in conversation sweet,
While flaming lightning flash'd around our feet,—
Yet by the flash, in each believer's face
We read the sign of confidence and peace.
Some to our God did then devoutly pray,
While others sung that awful hour away;
A voice was heard, "Ye need not be afraid,
Whose hope is on the Rock of Ages stay'd!"
Our virgins trimm'd their lamps, and sweetly sung,
And tenderly around each other clung,
While, as through fire and flood they took their way,
Salvation was the burden of their lay.
'Midst dismal darkness the black clouds were driven,
With all the fearful majesty of heaven;
And then as if an angel cleft the cloud,
And show'd to man the glowing wrath of God,
More quick than either thought, or sight of man,
From north to south the flaming fluid ran;
The east and west burst into a blaze,
And guilty man beheld it with amaze!
It seem'd to warn the world against that day,
When earth and sky shall melt, and pass away!
The distant mountains seem'd to own his nod,
And cried to man, "Prepare to meet thy God!"
All glory be to our eternal King,
Who brought us all safe home His praise to sing.
May we both hear and keep his Holy Word,
And so fulfil the royal law of God!