W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.
When the Day of Pentecost Was Fully Come
Edward Hayes Plumptre (18211891)A
The eager soul was dumb,
Hot thoughts oppressed;
They could not yet pour out
Joy’s free, exulting shout,
Must wait and rest.
The strain of hope intense,
So passed the days;
Wild dreams their fancies fill,
High thoughts their spirits thrill,
Unspoken praise.
The Levites’ surging Song,
The chanted Psalm;
At eve the upper room,
Bread broken in the gloom,
The converse calm.
Would bring the Spirit’s power
And all be plain;
When, through the opened sky,
Day’s dawning should be nigh,
Their loss be gain.
The cloven tongues of flame
Disparting fell;
The rushing, mighty wind,
Thrilling through sense and mind,
And all was well.
The soul’s deep thoughts revealed,
In full strong speech;
The stammering tongue spake plain,
And thoughts once wild and vain
Were clear to teach.
Blazing with lightning flash,
The Spirit came;
Dread whirl of tempest blast,
Rapture that might not last,
The tongues of flame.
Wild burst of ecstasy,
Till then unknown;
Songs such as Angels pour,
When they their Lord adore
Around the Throne.
That none might understand,
And few divine;
So they from opened lips
Poured joy’s apocalypse,
Drunk, not with wine.
To all the sons of men,
From East and West;
That now in every tongue
God’s great praise should be sung,
His name be blest.
To all men, free or slave,
That they might share
The Spirit’s power to raise
Cold hearts to heights of praise,
Full glow of prayer.