A Prayer For Israel: Judah Restored

 

"Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth
there shall no more come unto you the uncircumcised and
the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit
erect in a dignified place, O Jerusalem; loose yourself 
from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion."
(Isaiah 52:1-2)

"Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: 
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion"
(Isaiah 52:2)
Image courtesy/Bedard Fine Art

Yet say not, Judah's hope is fled,

Her high and holy trust-

That she hath laid her mourning head

Forever in the dust.

Oh! say not that her sun went down,

Quenched in her judgment night,

In deepest darkness of its frown,

To rise no more in light.

Say rather-for the Lord hath said,

And she shall hear the sound-

"O captive daughter! Lift thine head!"

In beauty from the ground.

"Arise, and take thy solemn vows;

Thy regal robe prepare;

And like Messiah's bridal spouse

Thy crown of glory wear.

"Bid Kedar's wilderness rejoice,

The mountains round thee sing;

Jerusalem, lift up thy voice

Before the Lord, the King."

Jerusalem, and mayst thou yet

Look up without despair?

And turn to mournful Olivet

And hail thy Sovereign there?

Will He forgive the guilty stain

That cursed thy weary land;

His tear upon thy withering plain,

His blood upon thy hand?

Yes-fear not, Judah, even now

Thy name is on His heart;

The everlasting hills may bow,

The mountains may depart;

But Zion's Lord shall ne'er forget

The counsels of His will;

And His eternal love is set

On Zion's daughter still.

Moriah heard Jehovah swear

To Abraham and his seed!

Moriah heard Messiah's prayer

For Abraham's children plead.

And Judah's ransomed tribes shall see

The Mighty One again;

And bow to Him the suppliant knee,

And bless His gentle reign.

The watchful nations wait around

To mark her gathering power;

The lengthened shadows on the ground

Presage the coming hour.

'Tis bursting through her twilight doom

Of mingled day and night;

Her glory kindles in the gloom-

"At evening time 'tis light!"

Sing, Gentile earth,  for Judah sing,

The Lord hath loosened her bands;

Creation! shout for Zion's King,

And clap thy joyful hands!

"Judah Restored"
(1834)
Maria Grace Andrews Saffery
(1773-1858)
English writer and poetess