W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.
Ephphatha
Edward Hayes Plumptre (18211891)“W
Why all this long delay?
Surely, we thought, he now will speak aloud,
And Christ’s great word obey.”
Gazing and thronging round,
He takes him by himself, and not till then
Opens his ear to sound.
Or word of boundless might,
Would He, the Son of Man, bestow His dower,
Of hearing or of sight.
In full trust to His own;
Then, and then only, make the sick man whole,
And the strong foe dethrone.
These quickened faith’s young life;
The smile they saw, the gentle voice they heard
With mystic power were rife.
Whose sense is wholly closed?
How the new impulse in their souls receive,
To instincts old opposed?
From doubt, alarm, mistrust?
What voice shall bid the fears and fancies flee,
Like clouds of April dust?
He takes the man apart,
Far from the bustling throng of city streets
The wranglings of the mart.
With look that speaks of love,
He, with that spell of sympathy intense,
All barriers can remove.
On the deaf ear, dumb lips,
With wondrous working open entrance made,
Through which the new sense slips.
That “Ephphatha” is heard,
And opened lips accept their new-found part,
And speak the living word.
Then bursting into joy,
The shout of one who must his gladness show
Blithe as free-hearted boy.
Give light that we may see;
Open our ears that we Thy whisper kind
May hear and turn to Thee.
Touch Thou our tongue and ear,
That we may commune with Thee in our heart,
And Thy high wisdom hear.