But we mould thee for the root Of man's promised healing Fruit, And we mould thee hence to rise As our brother in the skies. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890). DAVID. It is not always to the strong With loud voice Goliath said: What strength may be compared to mine? "Choose ye a man of mightiest might: Shall Saul and all his armed men Day by day these words he spoke, Him we will leave awhile, and speak Jesse said to this his son: "David, to thy brothers run, Where in the camp they now abide, And learn what of them may betide. To the armies of the living God? With mighty wealth Saul will endow His eldest brother, who had heard To question warlike men? say, where I know thy thoughts, how proud thou art: In the haughtiness of thy heart, Then answered Jesse's youngest son And at the manner of his word Lowly David bowed his head, And with firm voice the stripling said: "Thy servant kept his father's sheep; And killed that bear, when from the field Two young lambs by force they seized. Of the fierce bear, and cruel jaw To me." He ceased. The king said, "Go! Thy God, the God of Israel, be In the battle still with thee." Davd departs unarmed, save A staff in hand he chanced to have. Save five smooth stones from out a brook; These in his shepherd's scrip he placed, askance On the fair ruddy countenance A dog, that thou comest here to try "Thou comest with sword, with spear, with shield, Yet thou to me this day must yield. The Lord of Hosts is on my side, Whose armies boastful thou'st defied. All nations of the earth shall hear He saveth not with shield and spear." Thus David spake, and nigher went, wand: The kites and ravens are not far away, Nor beasts of ravine, that shall make a prey Of a poor corpse, which they from me shall have, And their foul bowels shall be all thy grave." "Uncircumcised slave," quoth David then, "That for thy shape, the monster art of men; Thou thus in brass comest arm'd into the field, And thy huge spear of brass, of brass thy shield: I in the name of Israel's God alone, That more than mighty, that eternal One, Am come to meet thee, who bids not to fear, Nor once respect the arms that thou dost stand, I'll make thy length to measure so much land, As thou liest grov'ling, and within this hour The birds and beasts thy carcass shall devour." In meantime David, looking in his face, Between his temples, saw how large a space or post, That the shrill clap was heard through either host. Staggering awhile upon his spear he leant, Till on a sudden he began to faint; When down he came, like an old o'ergrown oak, His huge root hewn up by the labourers' stroke, That with his very weight he shook the ground; His brazen armour gave a jarring sound Like a crack'd bell, or vessel chanced to fall From some high place, which did like death appal The proud Philistines (hopeless that remain), To see their champion, great Goliah, slain: When such a shout the host of Israel gave, As cleft the clouds; and like to men that rave (O'ercome with comfort) cry, "The boy, the boy! O the brave David, Israel's only joy! God's chosen champion! O most wondrous thing! The great Goliah slain with a poor sling! To Ekron's walls, and slew them as they fled, That Sharam's plains lay cover'd with the dead; And having put the Philistines to foil, Back to the tents retire, and take the spoil Of what they left; and ransacking, they cry, "A David, David, and the victory!" When straightway Saul his general, Abner, sent For valiant David, that incontinent He should repair to court; at whose command He comes along, and beareth in his hand The giant's head, by the long hair of his crown, Which by his active knee hung dangling down. And through the army as he comes along, To gaze upon him the glad soldiers throng: Some do instyle him Israel's only light, And other some the valiant Bethlemite, With congees all salute him as he past, And upon him their gracious glances cast: He was thought base of him that did not boast, Nothing but David, David, through the host. The virgins to their timbrels frame their lays Of him; till Saul grew jealous of his praise. MICHAEL DRAYTON (1563-1631). SONG OF TRIUMPH. Let heathen hosts on human helps repose, Since Israel's God has routed Israel's foes. Let remotest nations know The brazen armor or the lifted spear. While conquering David routs the trembling band. Lo, upon the tented field Royal Saul has thousands killed! While tenfold triumphs David's victories swell! HANNAH MORE (1745-1833). [KING DAVID.] OF Israel's sweetest singer now I sing, His holy style and happy victories; Whose muse was dipt in that inspiring dew, Archangels 'stillèd from the breath of Jove, TJ Decking her temples with the glorious flowers Heaven rained on tops of Sion and Mount Sinai. Upon the bosom of his ivory lute The cherubim and angels laid their breasts; And when his consecrated fingers struck The golden wires of his ravishing harp, He gave alarum to the host of heaven, That, wing'd with lightning, brake the clouds, and cast Their crystal armour at his conquering feet. Of this sweet poet, Jove's musician, And of his beauteous son, I press to sing; Then help, divine Adonai, to conduct Upon the wings of my well-temper'd verse, The hearers' minds above the towers of heaven And guide them so in this thrice haughty flight, Their mounting feathers scorch not with the fire That none hand: can temper but thy holy To thee for succour flies muse, And at thy feet her iron pen doth use. GEORGE PEELE [1553 (?)-1598 (?)] THE SONG OF DAVID.. He sang of God, the mighty source All period, power, and enterprise The world, the clustering spheres he made, The glorious light, the soothing shade, Tell them I am, Jehovah said To Moses, while earth heard in dread, And smitten to the heart, At once, above, beneath, around, All Nature, without voice or sound, Replied, "O Lord, Thou art." CHRISTOPHER SHARP (1722-1771) SAUL. ABSTRACTED and alone sat Saul the king, The mighty king of warlike Israel; Dark shadows o'er his spirit went and came, And fearful thoughts of dread futurity. His lofty eye scowled indignation round, And furious passion wrinkled up his brow; Anon a gleam of peace shot through his soul, And he was calm; but soon more solemn thoughts, Like thunder-laden clouds, enshroud his mind, And troubled looks denote no love of God. The minstrel now is called-a fairhaired boy, Who oft had soothed, by his entrancing notes, The soul of mighty Saul. A noble boy In look and mien, whom God had early blessed, And brought from Bethlem's plains, a shepherd-boy, To reign, the future king of Israel. |