GOD by Gabriel Romanowitch Derzhavin

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 3, 1882

GOD.

By Gabriel Romanowitch Derzhavin

[The following sublime ode to the Supreme Being is translated from the Russian by John Bowring. It was written by one of their most distinguished poets, Gabriel Romanowitch Derzhavin. The ode is said to have been translated into the Chinese and Tartar languages; written on rich silk, and suspended in the Imperial Palace at Pekin. The Emperor of Japan also had it translated into Japanese, embroidered in gold, and hung in the temple of Jeddo.—The Christian at Work.]

O THOU eternal One! whose presence bright All space doth occupy, all motion guide; Unchanged through time's all-devastating flight; Thou only God! There is no God beside! Being above all beings! Mighty One! Whom none can comprehend and none explore; Who fill'st existence with thyself alone; Embracing all,—supporting,—ruling o'er; Being whom we call God,—and know no more!

In its sublime research, philosophy May measure out the ocean-deep—may count The sands or the sun's rays—but God! for thee There is no weight nor measure,—none can mount Up to thy mysteries; Reason's brightest spark, Though kindled by thy light, in vain would try To trace thy counsels, infinite and dark; And thought is lost ere thought can soar so high, Even like past moments in eternity.

Thou from primeval nothingness didst call First chaos, then existence;—Lord, in thee Eternity had its foundation;—all Sprung forth from thee;—of light, joy, harmony Sole Origin;—all life, all beauty thine. Thy word created all, and doth create; Thy splendor fills all space with rays divine; Thou art, and wert, and shall be! Glorious! Great! Light-giving, life-sustaining Potentate!

Thy chains the unmeasured universe surround; Upheld by thee, by thee inspired with breath! Thou the beginning with the end hast bound, And beautifully mingled life and death! As sparks mount upward from the fiery blaze, So suns are born, so worlds spring forth from thee: And as the spangles in the sunny rays Shine round the silver snow, the pageantry Of Heaven's bright army glitters in thy praise.

A million torches lighted by thy hand Wander unwearied through the blue abyss; They own thy power, accomplish thy command, All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss, What shall we call them? Piles of crystal light— A glorious company of golden streams— Lamps of celestial ether, burning bright— Suns lighting systems with their joyous beams? But thou to these art the moon to night.

Yes! as a drop of water in the sea, All this magnificence in thee is lost;— What are ten thousand worlds compared to thee? And what am I then?—Heaven's unnumbered host, Though multiplied by myriads, and arrayed In all the glory of sublimest thought, Is but an atom in the balance, weighed Against thy greatness, is a cipher brought Against infinity! What am I, then? Naught!

Naught! But the effluence of thy light divine, Pervading worlds hath reached my bosom too; Yes! in my spirit doth thy Spirit shine As shines the sunbeam in a drop of dew. Naught! but I live, and on hope's pinions fly, Eager toward thy presence; for in thee I live, and breathe, and dwell; aspiring high, Even to the throne of thy divinity, I am, O God! and surely thou must be!

Thou art! directing, guiding all, thou art! Direct my understanding then to thee; Control my spirit, guide my wandering heart; Though but an atom midst immensity, Still I am something, fashioned by thy hand! I hold a middle rank 'twixt Heaven and earth, On the last verge of mortal being stand, Close to the realms where angels have their birth, Just on the boundaries of the spirit-land!

O thoughts ineffable! O vision blest! Though worthless our conceptions all of thee, Yet shall thy shadowed image fill our breast, And waft its homage to thy Deity. God! thus alone my lowly thoughts can soar; Thus seek thy presence—being wise and good! Midst thy vast works admire, obey, adore; And when the tongue is eloquent no more, The soul shall speak in tears of gratitude.