HOW shall I stand before Thee, Lord, and I am bowed with shame? For e'en as I am poor and humble, exalted is Thy name! E'en as my mortal might is weak and limited, Thy power is eternal, infinite, Sorely wanting as I am, Almighty! Thou art perfect and complete! For Thou are One, the only living God, who dost exist for aye. Thou art wise and Thy might and majesty endure alway, And I am wrought of dust and for the earth destined, Full of error, helpless as a stone upon the way and blind— A flitting shadow, a wind that passeth and returneth not— Wrathful as a serpent, of stony heart and harboring all evil thought! Yea, of proud and boastful mien, of unclean lips, a mortal vain Who followeth his heart's desire, and counsel doth despise, and thought disdain. For what I am and what is even this my life and power? What fruit may bear my righteousness through life's e'er-changeful hour? I know not whence I come, nor whither I am bound! Before Thy might in awe I stand, bowed low unto the ground! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WORLD by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI THE AFTER WOMAN by FRANCIS THOMPSON THE SHAVEN BEAUTY by YUSUF IBN HARUN AL-RAMADI A PORTRAIT by JOSEPH ASHBY-STERRY TO MRS. FRANCES-ARABELLA KELLY by MARY BARBER |