Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917.

By E. Dudley Jackson

Miriam

OH, for that day, that day of bliss entrancing

When Israel stood, her night of bondage o’er.

And leaped in heart to see no more advancing

Egypt’s dark host along the desert shore;

For scarce a ripple now proclaimed where lay

The boasting Pharaoh and his fierce array.

Miriam! she silent stood, that sight beholding,

And bowed with sacred awe her wondering head.

Till lo! No more their hideous spoils withholding

The depths indignant, spurned their buried dead;

And all along that sad and vengeful coast

Pale corpses lay,—a monumental host.

Miriam! She saw; then all to life awaking,—

“Sing to the Lord,” with a great voice she cried;

“Sing to the Lord,” their many timbrels shaking,

Ten thousand ransomed hearts and tongues replied;

While, leading on the dance in triumph long

Thus the great Prophetess broke forth in song:

“Oh, sing to the Lord,

Sing his triumph right glorious;

“O’er horse and rider

Sing his right arm victorious;

Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots

And captains so brave,

The Lord hath thrown down

In the bottomless wave.

“Man of war is the Lord

And Jehovah is His name;

We trusted his pillar

Of cloud and of flame.

Proud boasters, ye followed

But where have ye gone?

Down, down in the waters

Ye sank like a stone.

“O Lord thou didst blow

With thy nostrils a blast

And upheaved, the huge billows

Like mountains stood fast!

Egypt shuddered with wonder

That pathway to see,

Those depths all congealed

In the heart of the sea.

“‘I, too, will march onward’

(The enemy cried)

I shall soon overtake

I, the spoil will divide

I will kill’—O my God!

The depths fell at thy breath

And like lead they went down

In those waters of death.

“But o’er us the soft wings

Of thy mercy outspread,

To thine own chosen dwelling

Our feet have been led.

Palistrina, affrighted,

The tidings shall hear,

And your hearts, O ye nations,

Shall wither with fear.

“Thus brought in with triumph

Safe planted and blessed

On thy own holy mountain

Thy people shall rest.

Shout! Pharaoh is fallen

To rise again never.

Sing! The Lord he shall reign

Forever and ever.”