Poems (Shipton)/The Door of the Sepulchre
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THE DOOR OF THE SEPULCHRE.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, Lord, in the light of Thy countenance."—Ps. lxxxix. 15.
Beyond the stars that shine in silvery glory,
Beyond the calm, sweet moon,
Up the bright ladder saints have trod before thee,
Soul! thou shalt venture soon.
Beyond the calm, sweet moon,
Up the bright ladder saints have trod before thee,
Soul! thou shalt venture soon.
Secure with Him who sees thy heart-sick yearning,
Safe in His arms of love,
Thou shalt exchange thy midnight for the morning,
And thy fair home above.
Safe in His arms of love,
Thou shalt exchange thy midnight for the morning,
And thy fair home above.
Oh, it is sweet to watch the world's night wearing,
The Sabbath morn steal on;
Sweeter it were the vineyard labor sharing,
Sweetest—the labor done.
The Sabbath morn steal on;
Sweeter it were the vineyard labor sharing,
Sweetest—the labor done.
All finished, all! the conflict and the sorrow;
Earth's anguished dream is o'er:
Deathless there dawns for thee a nightless morrow
Upon a stormless shore.
Earth's anguished dream is o'er:
Deathless there dawns for thee a nightless morrow
Upon a stormless shore.
Patience, then! patience! Soon the pang of dying
Shall all forgotten be;
And thou, through rolling spheres rejoicing, flying
Beyond the waveless sea,
Shall all forgotten be;
And thou, through rolling spheres rejoicing, flying
Beyond the waveless sea,
Shalt see that way where now thy Lord doth lead thee;
His darkest dealings trace;
And by those fountains where His love will feed thee,
Behold Him face to face.
His darkest dealings trace;
And by those fountains where His love will feed thee,
Behold Him face to face.
Then bow thy head; and God shall give thee meekness
Bravely to do His will:
So shall arise His glory in thy weakness.
O struggling soul, be still!
Bravely to do His will:
So shall arise His glory in thy weakness.
O struggling soul, be still!
Dark clouds are His pavilion, shining o'er thee;
Thy heart must recognize
The veiled Shekinah moving; on before thee,
Too bright to meet thine eyes.
Thy heart must recognize
The veiled Shekinah moving; on before thee,
Too bright to meet thine eyes.
Behold the wheel that straightly moves, and fleetly
Performs the sovereign word.
Thou know'st His suffering love: then, suffering meetly,
Follow thy loving Lord.
Performs the sovereign word.
Thou know'st His suffering love: then, suffering meetly,
Follow thy loving Lord.
Watch on the tower, and listen by the gateway:
Fear not to wait alone.
Take thou thy spices, and some angel straightway
Shall roll away the stone.
Fear not to wait alone.
Take thou thy spices, and some angel straightway
Shall roll away the stone.
Go to thy brethren: say thy Lord hath risen,
And risen but to save;
Toll of the might that breaks the captive's prison,
Of life beyond the grave.
And risen but to save;
Toll of the might that breaks the captive's prison,
Of life beyond the grave.
Tell how He met thee, all His radiance shrouded;
How in thy sorrow came
His pitying voice, breathing, when faith was clouded,
Thine own familiar name.
How in thy sorrow came
His pitying voice, breathing, when faith was clouded,
Thine own familiar name.
So at the grave's dark portal thou mayst linger,
And hymn thy happy strain:
The passing world may mock the feeble singer;
Heed not, but sing again.
And hymn thy happy strain:
The passing world may mock the feeble singer;
Heed not, but sing again.
Thus wait, thus watch, till He the last link sever:
And soon that day shall be,
"When in His beauty thou shalt bask for ever,
For Christ hath made thee free!
And soon that day shall be,
"When in His beauty thou shalt bask for ever,
For Christ hath made thee free!