HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP.
By Gertrude von Giers
AROUND the town the lightning flashed,
The wind a fearful gale;
Above, the awful thunder crashed,
Down came the rain and hail.
The gloom of Egypt, seen and felt,
Mantled the quivering air;
And many a soul in terror knelt,
For death seemed everywhere. In fear, alone, a young girl thought,
As she wandered to and fro,
Of the fearful ruin by tempest wrought,
Destruction, death, and woe.
"I will not lay me down to sleep,
I'll watch 'till dawn of day;
Perchance the wind to-night may sweep
A myriad lives away." She opened the old-fashioned Word
Which few men reverence now;
Above the storm a Voice was heard,
"My child, why wakest thou?
The builder buildeth all in vain,
His house is overthrown;
The hand to check the lightning's chain
Is Mine, and Mine alone.
Except the Lord the city keeps,
The watchman wakes in vain."
The maiden hears, nor longer weeps;
Like music sounds the rain. Henceforth the words of David's song
Are comfort to her soul,
When lightnings rend their way along
And thunders grandly roll,
She calmly lays her down to sleep,
Content to know that He
Will watch and guard, and safely keep
Wherever she may be.