sides repair to her
The progeny not fostered in her bosom?
Lift high, Jerusalem, lift high thy head!
Look on those monarchs of thy marvellous glory:
The kings of nations are before thee prostrate,
Kissing the dust of thy feet:
The people in thy light walk emulous.
Blest, who for Sion with a holy fervour
Doth feel his soul expanded!
Heavens scatter your dew, and let the earth
Bring forth its Saviour!

{JOSABET.}

Alas! from whence this signal benefaction?
If kings from whom Messiah's to descend--

{JOAD.}

Let Josabet prepare the diadem
Which David's self bore on his sacred brow.

(To the Levites.)

And you, attend me to the place to arm
Yourselves, where is concealed from strangers' eyes
That formidable heap of swords and lances,
Which ever in Philistine's blood were drenched;
And which triumphant David, full of years
And honours, caused to be unto the God
That had protected him made consecrate.
Could we employ them in a nobler cause %
Follow, I will myself distribute them.

_Scene VIII._

{SALOMITH, THE CHOIR.}

{SALOMITH.}

What fears my sisters, O what mortal broils!
All powerful God, are these the sacrifices,
The first-fruits and the perfumes we
This day should offer at Thy altars?

_One of the daughters of the Choir._

What spectacle unto our timid eyes!
Who could have feared we ever should behold
The murderous sword, the homicidal lance
Flashing within the house of peace?

_Another._

Whence comes it that Jerusalem,
Full of indifference to her God,
Is silent in her present danger?
Whence comes it, sisters, that for our protection
Brave Abner, at the least, speaks not aloud?

{SALOMITH.}

Ah! in a court, in which prevails
No other law than force and violence;
In which its honours and employments are
The price of blind and base obedience,
Who will desire, my sister, to lift up
His voice for sorrowing innocence?

_Another._

For whom's that sacred diadem prepared
In this confusion--peril violent?

{SALOMITH.}

The Lord has deigned to speak;
But who can make us understand
What to his prophet He has now revealed?
Arms He Himself in our defence?
Or does He arm to overwhelm us?