Of valiant Jephthah, whose brave heart With sudden grief did bow, When his daughter came with dance and song Unconscious of his vow. Of Gideon, lifting up his voice To him who rules the sky, And wringing out his well drenched fleece, When all around was dry. How Deborah, ’neath her spreading palms, A judge in Israel rose, And wrested victory from the hands Of Jacob’s heathen foes. Of Samuel, an upright judge. The last who ruled our tribes, Whose noble life and cleanly hands, Were pure and free from bribes. Of David, with his checkered life Our tuneful minstrel king, Who breathed in sadness and delight, The psalms we love to sing. Of Solomon, whose wandering heart, From Jacob’s God did stray, And cast the richest gifts of life, In pleasure’s cup away. How aged men advised his son, But found him weak and vain, Until the kingdom from his hands Was rudely rent in twain. Oh! sin and strife are fearful things, They widen as they go, And leave behind them shades of death, And open gates of woe. A trail of guilt, a gloomy line, Ran through our nation’s life, And wicked kings provoked our God, And sin and woe were rife. At length, there came a day of doom— A day of grief and dread; When judgment like a fearful storm Swept o’er our country’s head. And we were captives many years, Where Babel’s stream doth flow; With harps unstrung, on willows hung, We wept in silent woe. We could not sing the old, sweet songs, Our captors asked to hear; Our hearts were full, how could we sing The songs to us so dear? As one who dreams a mournful dream, Which fades, as wanes the night, So God did change our gloomy lot From darkness into light. Belshazzar in his regal halls, A sumptuous feast did hold; He praised his gods and drank his wine From sacred cups of gold. When dance and song and revelry Had filled with mirth each hall, Belshazzar raised his eyes and saw A writing on the wall.