I Know You Not

(Lyra Messianica, 1864.)     O Christ, the Vine with living Fruit,     The twelvefold-fruited Tree of Life,     The Balm in Gilead after strife,     The valley Lily and the Rose;     Stronger than Lebanon, Thou Root;     Sweeter than clustered grapes, Thou Vine;     O Best, Thou Vineyard of red wine,     Keeping thy best wine till the close.     Pearl of great price Thyself alone,     And ruddier than the ruby Thou;     Most precious lightning Jasper stone,     Head of the corner spurned before:     Fair Gate of pearl, Thyself the Door;     Clear golden Street, Thyself the Way;     By Thee we journey toward Thee now,     Through Thee shall enter Heaven one day.     I thirst for Thee, full fount and flood;     My heart calls Thine, as deep to deep:     Dost Thou forget Thy sweat and pain,     They provocation on the Cross?     Heart-pierced for me, vouchsafe to keep     The purchase of Thy lavished Blood:     The gain is Thine, Lord, if I gain;     Or if I lose, Thine own the loss.     At midnight (saith the Parable)     A cry was made, the Bridegroom came;     Those who were ready entered in:     The rest, shut out in death and shame,     Strove all too late that Feast to win,     Their die was cast, and fixed their lot;     A gulf divided Heaven from Hell;     The Bridegroom said - I know you not.     But Who is this that shuts the door,     And saith - I know you not - to them?     I see the wounded hands and side,     The brow thorn-tortured long ago:     Yea; This Who grieved and bled and died,     This same is He Who must condemn;     He called, but they refused to know;     So now He hears their cry no more.