Who kill the fatling for their household bread,
Select the best, the firstling, the well fed,
And starve the herd, which plenteous should be kept,
The care that 'tis their duty to protect!
Who tenderly the sick have never nurs'd,
Nor bound a fractur'd bone they took in trust;
Nor sought the wand'rer vainly gone astray,
Nor fetched back one stroller led away;
But with oppressive tyranny have rul❜d,
Not the trust's int'rest, but their own upheld!
Too lazy, though their charge be searching food,
To give a mite nutricious or good;
But keenly strive their own fat maws to fill
And let their flocks a prey to hunger fall !*
For thy sins, Israel, scatter'd shalt thou be
Among all nations; sorrow wilt thou see ;
And desolate be thy luxuriant fields,
Thy verdant plains and turn'd to sterile wilds;†
Yet, thou repentant, still shalt mercy find,
And thy good God benevolent and kind,
A RIGHTEOUS PRINCE amid thy sons shall spring,
My servant DAVID o'er thee come to reign;
It is thy God who speaks, who tells thee that,
And rest assur'd His word He'll not forget.
This is a dreadful denunciation of God's anger against negligent, unfaithful, and covetous ministers. I leave discrimination to the reader, as certainly he may distinguish them, at this day, by comparing their words and actions with this description.
See chap. xxxvi. and xxxvii.
Lo! this, My SHEPHERD, guards His care, and keeps
It free from harm: those gone astray He seeks ;
He feeds the flock with zealous past'ral care,
Who, thus protected, stray away no more;
In wood, or pasture, wild or fruitful plain,
He sees, He guards, and keeps it free from harm.
His calls, at last, O Israel, thou wilt hear;
Against thy God, no longer's deaf the ear,
But from the nations where thou sojournest,
Elate, with speed, thou to this PRINCE repair'st,
Who leads thee safely to thy native home,
And trouble's past to whom believe in Him.
These all will know I am the Lord their God,
Will love My statutes, and obey My word,
Become My people, lambkins of My fold,
That stray no more, nor from Me shall be sold.
In them implanted minds contrite and new
My laws to follow and My work pursue,
Their harden'd intellects dissolve, depart,
No longer beats for vice, the stony heart.
Celestial sway shall hostile thoughts remove,
Internal reign benevolence and love,
Sin be detested both by age and youth,
They'll Me adore in spirit and in truth.
To them the ground shall profuse yield its store, Want, famine, desolation, known no more; The fruitful shower all-timely copious flow, From grateful soils abundant treasures grow; The purple vines adorn the mountain's brow, The golden ears wave in the vale below;
The lowing herds roam o'er the flow'ry mead,
In verdant pastures sportive lambkins feed;
Sweet figs recumbent hang by the way side,
Outspreading foliage charm the cooling shade;
Nor heathen, nor a savage race annoy,
All safely dwell, no enemy to destroy;
Continual peace, and happiness prevail,
On them my blessings pour perpetual.*
Arise, ye drunkards, quit the noxious bowl,
Who revel o'er your cups, awake and wail
As virgins robed in the mourning vest,
Who their betrothed youthful swains have lost!—
Come, let the priests to hallow'd shrines repair,†
Before the altar penitence declare !-
Ho, sanctify a fast; the hour proclaim,
To supplicate for pardoning of sin!
But, rend the heart, and not the garment tear,
Let penitence be fervent and sincere,
* The Prophet, after first foretelling that a Glorious Prince, of the line of David, would appear upon earth to preach righteousness, and lay the foundation of a holy government, rapidly leads his readers to the final conquest this King would make, and become Lord of Lords and King of Kings ;and cause the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of God and of his Christ, for ever and ever; describing in the most animating and beautiful metaphorical language, the happiness that will be given to man by the completion of the stupendous design of our Merciful and Gracious Creator, and Redeemer.
† See chap. i. ii. iii. and iv.
Your God is gracious, merciful, and kind,
Love and obey, You shall His favor find;
Upon all flesh He doth His blessings pour,
Of every heart grace calleth at the door,
There kindly waits, to have an entrance giv'n,
To guide, direct, conduct the soul to heav'n.
When He, thro' goodness, Judah will restore,
Jerusalem shall wear her yoke no more;
Tho' heathen tribes in arms be gathered,
With them Messiah for His flock will plead.
Lo, flaming heavens and trembling earth proclaim,
That down to man the Lord of all is come
All-powerful, and His mighty arm extends
To crush His foes, protect His faithful friends!
See, in the vale by name Jehoshaphat, (33)
His foes infuriate dare the dreadful fight!-
How myriads flock, are by delusion led,
To bid defiance to the Mighty God!—
But see! His lightnings dart, and falls the foe,
Death wings each arrow to the overthrow !—
What heaps of dead stretch'd on the bloody plain
Tell sole destruction, and the battle won!-
Now shall tyrannic laws oppress no more,
And priestcraft's wily knavery be o'er;
But who sincerely own the Saviour's name,
Shall meet protection from his conqu❜ring arm;
Shall from all danger be delivered,
Experience mercy from a gracious God.."
And all shall know he dwells on Zion's hill,
And is a God still kind and merciful,
And lov'd Jerusalem in holiness
Conspicuous shine, nor evermore transgress;
The Desolator not again pollute
Her sanctity, her children extirpate;
For generations peaceful she shall rest
Her sons, her daughters be for ever blest.
Now, on thy mountains, Judah, droppeth wine,
And in thy vales waves thick the golden grain;
The oil o'erflows the purifying vat,
Thy floors are filled with the ripen'd wheat.
Ho! cry aloud! The glorious tidings tell
That God declares His people shall excel
Again in splendour, and have cities, rear'd
In grandeur, o'er a prosp'rous kingdom spread !+
Ah Zion! He once more shall comfort thee,
And give thy children sweet felicity!
Come, let thy daughters swelling raise the voice,
All joyful sing, and in their God rejoice,
Descended in the midst of thee to reign,
To bless thy nation and Jerusalem,
Which never more shall desolation see,
But stand in safety, and prosperity.
* Zechariah prophecied about 520 years before the birth of our Lord.
|