Crossing The Red Sea

Before them lay the heaving deep         Behind, the foemen pressed;     And every face grew dark with fear,         And anguish filled each breast     Save one, the Leader's, he, serene,         Beheld, with dauntless mind,     The restless floods before them seen.         The foe that pressed behind.     "Why hast thou brought us forth for this?"         The people loudly cry; -     "Were there no graves in Egypt's land,         That here we come to die?"     But calm and clear above the din         Arose the prophet's word, -     "Stand still! stand still! - and ye shall see         The salvation of the Lord!"     "Fear not! - the foes whom now you see,         Your eyes no more shall view! -     Peace to your fears! - your fathers' God         This day shall fight for you;     For Egypt, in her haughty pride         And stubbornness abhorred,     This day, in bitterness shall learn,         Jehovah is the Lord!"     He spake; and o'er the Red Sea's flood         He stretched his awful wand,     And lo! the startled waves retired,         Abashed, on either hand;     And like a mighty rampart rose         To guard the narrow way     Mysterious, that before the hosts         Of ransomed Israel lay!     Oh! strange and solemn was the road         Which they were called to tread,     With myst'ries of the ancient deep         Around their footsteps spread, -     With ocean's unknown floor laid bare         Before their wondering eyes,     And the strange, watery wall that there         On either hand did rise!     Yet fearlessly, with steadfast faith,         Their Leader led them on;     While, from behind, a heavenly light         Through the dread passage shone; -     Light for that lone and trembling band         Gleamed out with radiance clear,     While Egypt's host came groping on         Through darkness dense and drear!     'Tis past; and on Arabia's coast         The tribes of Israel stand,     While fierce and fast Egyptia's host         Approach that quiet strand; -     Though darkness, like a funeral pall,         Hangs o'er that dreary path,     Still on they desperately press         In bitterness and wrath.     Then slowly, once again, arose         The Hebrew prophet's hand,     And o'er the waiting deep outstretched         Once more that awful wand; -     The rushing waters closed in might         Above that pathway lone,     And Pharaoh, in his haughty pride,         And all his hosts were gone!     Wail, Egypt, wail! - thy kingly crown         Is humbled in the dust!     And thou, though late, art forced to own         That Israel's God is just!     And thou, O Israel, lift thy voice         In one triumphant song     Of praise to Him in whom alone         Thy feeble arm is strong!