ON a morning long ago
Earth was bright with sunrise glow;
Forth upon a troubled quest
Fared a king, distraught, oppressed.
He who ruled supreme o'er men
Hast'ning to the lions' den
Cried with voice lamentably,
Can thy God deliver thee?
Still the worldlings' anxious thought
Questions what God's hand hath wrought;
Fearing now, as they did then,
Still the query comes from men,
Still the answer heals and cheers
Down the vista of the years:
God the beast controls, and He
By His love delivers me.
Friends of God since Abram's time
Walking in a faith sublime
Find in man's extremity
Love's blest opportunity.
Wilderness of doubt and dread,
Even there a table spread
Testifies there is no spot
Where our Father's care is not.
Those who trusted Him of old
Bars of iron could not hold;
Gates of brass could not withstand
Those upheld by His strong hand;
Furnace fired with sevenfold heat
Some have walked with steadfast feet,
And have found beside them trod
One like to the Son of God.
