Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HYMN TO THE SUPREME BEING, by ROYALL TYLER



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HYMN TO THE SUPREME BEING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Father supreme! Eternal god!
Last Line: And smite our guilty breasts.
Alternate Author Name(s): Old Simon; S.
Subject(s): Good Friday; Holidays; Holy Week


FATHER Supreme! Eternal God!
We bow before thy throne;
Spare the just vengeance of thy rod,
While we our guilt bemoan.

From early youth to riper age
Thy perfect word we saw;
But yet through each successive stage
We spurn'd thy holy law.

Guilt, like a fev'rish fest'ring wound,
Has rankled all within;
From head to feet pollution's found
All leperous with sin.

Dare we approach thy holy place?
God! spotless and serene!
Before whose sight the heavens are base,
And angels are unclean.

How shall we dare our God assail?
With prayer before him come;
When seraphims their faces veil,
And cherubims are dumb.

Clouds and thick darkness, flaming fires,
With terror mark his ways;
His mighty cherubs strike their lyres,
And thunder forth his praise.

He rideth on the stormy wind,
His flaming spirits nigh;
The lightning loiters far behind,
When, at his word, they fly.

With trembling awe! far off we stand,
And offer our requests;
And cry for mercy at thy hand,
And smite our guilty breasts.





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