Sing, people of the earth, Jerusalem reborn more grand and beautiful! Whence on all 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? _All the choir sing,_ O promise! threatening! mysterious gloom! What evil and what good by turns foretold! How can we reconcile So much of wrath and love? _One voice alone._ Sion will be no more; a cruel flame Will burn up all her excellence. _Another voice._ O God, shield Sion; Thy eternal word She holds for her foundations. _The first_ How all her splendour fades before my eyes.