"Did God mock Abraham? Did He mean, perchance, That all the families of the earth should find Peculiar blessedness in triumphing Over that puissant nation promised him, His progeny, to match the stars of heaven For multitude, and be as on the shore The sands, innumerable? Was such the sense Of promise and of prophecy? Behooves, Then, we be glad and thankful, we, on whom The fullness of the time now falls, to be This blessing to the Gentiles. But ye halt, Beloved. Slack and slow seem ye to greet The honor fixed on you. Why, hearken! Ye, Ye, out of all the generations, ye Fallen on the times of Jesus crucified, May count yourselves elect and called of God To bless the Gentiles, in affording them Unquenchable amusement to behold Your wretched plight and broken pride! Now clap Your hands, ye chosen! Let your mouth be filled With laughter, and your tongue with singing filled! "Nay, sons of Abraham, nay. No mocking words Spake He who cannot lie, Lord God of truth And grace. He meant that Abraham's race should reign From sea to sea while sun and moon endure. And ever a blessing true it is to men To bend the neck beneath an equal yoke Of ruler strong and wise and just to rule. Then will at last the Gentiles blesséd be In Abraham, when, from Abraham's loins derived Through David, God's Anointed shall begin, In David's city, His long government Of the wide world, and every heathen name Shall kiss the rod and own Messiah king. "Our father Jacob, touched with prophecy, Spake of a sceptre that should not depart From Judah until Shiloh came, to Whom The obedience of the peoples was to be; A sceptre, symbol of authority And rule, law-giving attribute, resort Of subject nations speeding to a yoke-- Such ever everywhere in Holy Writ The image and the character impressed On God's Messiah, hope of Israel. "What need I more? Wherefore to ears like yours, Well used to hear them in the temple chants Resounded with responsive voice to voice, Rehearse those triumphs and antiphonies Wherein Jehovah Father to His Son Messiah speaks: 'Ask Thou of Me, and I To Thee the heathen for inheritance Will give, and for possession the extreme Parts of the earth. Thou shalt with rod of iron Break them, yea, shatter them shalt Thou in shards, Like a clay vessel from the potters hand. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings, be ye Instructed, judges of the earth. Kiss ye The Son, lest He be angry, and His wrath, Full soon to be enkindled, you devour.' Tell me, which mood of prophecy is that, The meek or the heroic? Craven he, Or king, to whom Jehovah deigns such speech, Concerning whom such counsel recommends?