Classic Poem

Shew me the tears, the tears of tender love,
Wept over Salem in her evil day;
When grace and righteousness together strove,
And grace at length to righteousness gave way.

Dread hour of conflict between law and love!—
When not from tears could'st thou, O Christ, refrain;
When grace went forth to save, but like the dove,
Returned disconsolate, its errand vain.

Theirs the great woe, yet thine, O Lord, the deep
And awful anguish for their coming fears;
Thou weepedst because they refused to weep,
And grief divine found vent in human tears.

They closed the ear against thy tender words;
They chose another lord, and spurned thy sway;
Thou would'st have drawn them, but they snapped thy cords;
Thou would'st have blest them, but they turned away.

Thou lovedst them, but they would not be loved,
And human hatred fought with love divine;
They saw thee shed the tears of love unmoved,
And mocked the grace that would have made them thine.

O Son of God, who camest from above
To take my flesh, to bear my bitter cross;
Shew me thy tears, thy tears of tender love,
That I for thee may count all gain but loss.

That I may know thee, and by thee be known;
That I may love thee, and may taste thy love;
That I may win thee, and in thee a crown;
That I may rest and reign with thee above.