THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB 171

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THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB

II Kings xix. 35

The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the

sea,

When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green, The host with their banners at sunset were seen : Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,

The host on the morrow lay wither'd and strown.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,

And breathed in the face of the foe as he pass'd;

And the eyes of the sleepers wax'd deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heav'd, and forever grew still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide, But through it there roll'd not the breath of his

pride;

And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf, And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,

With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail; And the tents were all silent, the banners alone, The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.

And the widows of Asshur are loud in their wail, And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal; And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword, Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

LORD BYRON

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SONG OF THE JEWS

IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Thus we move, our sad steps timing
To our cymbals' feeblest chiming,
Where Thy house its rest accords.
Chased and wounded birds are we,
Through the dark air fled to Thee;
To the shadow of Thy wings,
Lord of lords! and King of kings!

Behold, O Lord, the heathen tread

The branches of Thy fruitful vine,
That its luxurious tendrils spread

O'er all the hills of Palestine.
And now the wild boar comes to waste
E'en us, the greenest boughs, and last,
That, drinking of Thy choicest dew,
On Zion's hill, in beauty grew.

No! by the marvels of Thine hand,
Thou wilt save Thy chosen land!
By all Thine ancient mercies shown;
By all our fathers' foes o'erthrown;

SONG OF THE JEWS

By the Egyptians' car-borne host,
Scattered on the Red Sea coast;
By that wide and bloodless slaughter
Underneath the drowning water.
Like us in utter helplessness,

In their last and worst distress-
On the sand and sea-weed lying,
Israel poured her doleful sighing;
While before, the deep sea flowed,
And behind, fierce Egypt rode-
To their fathers' God they prayed—
To the Lord of hosts for aid.

On the margin of the flood
With lifted rod the prophet stood;
And the summoned east wind blew,
And aside it sternly threw

The gathered waves that took their stand

Like crystal rocks, on either hand,

Or walls of sea-green marble piled
Round some irregular city-wild.

Then the light of morning lay
On the wonder-pavèd way,
Where the treasures of the deep
In their caves of coral sleep.
The profound abysses, where
Was never sound from upper air,
Rang with Israel's chanted words,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!

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Then with bow and banner glancing,
On exulting Egypt came,

With her chosen horsemen prancing,
And her cars on wheels of flame;
In a rich and boastful ring

All around her furious king.

But the Lord from out His cloud,
The Lord looked down upon the proud;
And the host drave heavily

Down the deep bosom of the sea.

With a quick and sudden swell

Prone the liquid ramparts fell;
Over horse and over car,
Over every man of war,
Over Pharaoh's crown of gold
The loud thundering billows rolled.

As the level waters spread,

Down they sank, they sank like lead;
Sank without a cry or groan;
And the morning-sun that shone
On myriads of bright-armed men,
Its meridian radiance then
Cast on the sea, beating as before,
Against a silent, solitary shore.

HENRY HART MILMAN

GOOD TIDINGS TO ZION

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GOOD TIDINGS TO ZION

Isaiah lii. 7

On the mountain's top appearing,
Lo, the sacred herald stands,
Welcome news to Zion bearing,
Zion, long in hostile lands:
Mourning captive,

God Himself will loose thy bands.

Has thy night been long and mournful?
Have thy friends unfaithful proved?
Have thy foes been proud and scornful,
By thy sighs and tears unmoved?
Cease thy mourning;

Zion still is well-beloved.

God, thy God will now restore thee;
He Himself appears thy Friend;

All thy foes shall flee before thee;
Here their boasts and triumphs end:
Great deliverance

Zion's King vouchsafes to send.

Enemies no more shall trouble;

All thy wrongs shall be redressed; For thy shame thou shalt have double, In thy Maker's favor blest;

All thy conflicts

End in everlasting rest.

THOMAS KELLEY