A glorious theme my raptur'd heart inspires

Verse 1

A glorious theme my raptur'd heart inspires, A theme the most sublime my genius fires; The king--the king--to him pertains the song-- The king inspires the lay, and fills my tongue,

Verse 2

The king, excelling all of mortal birth; Far fairer than the fairest sons of earth; What nameless beauty! what majestic grace! What heav'nly radiance beams upon his face! The king, to whom the pow'r, that all obey, Eternal honours gives, eternal sway.

Verse 3

Approach, unconquer'd chief, and on thy thigh Gird thy victorious sword, with majesty,

Verse 4

With glory bright-array'd; around thee shine Fair truth, stern justice, clemency divine; Crown'd with bright conquest thy resistless hand, Obey the nations round thy great command;

Verse 5

Pour dreadful vengeance on the stubborn foe, And let thy fatal arrows bring them low.

Verse 6

Thy sov'reign pow'r no time shall bound, no space; Not chang'd by years, not circumscrib'd by place;

Verse 7

On justice founded, 'twill for ever last; No force shall harm it, no attempts shall biast The glorious ruler of the realms above (O blest indulgence of almighty love)! Above thy fellows high exalts thy name; The sacred oils adown thy vestments stream;

Verse 8

Thy vestments, o'er thy graceful shoulders spread, Their odorif'rous scents around thee shed; Of eastern Cassia the admir'd perfume, Of myrrhe the tears, of Aloes the gum.

Verse 9

But what bright blooming maids around attend, That from a long imperial race descend? Around thy queen submissively they wait, Thy queen, at thy right-hand who sits in state; Thy queen, with Ophirs spark'ling gold array'd, With glittering gems adorn'd her glorious head.

Verse 10

And thou, fair consort, listen to the lay; Thy gentle soul let my sweet numbers sway; Thy royal father and thy natal seat, Thy dear, thy weeping relatives forget;

Verse 11

Look on thy prince, thy prince revere, who lives But on the joys thy heav'nly beauty gives:

Verse 12

To thee proud Tyre shall her gay presents send; Thee shall the noble and the great attend; Wait on thy nod, and bow with suppliant knee; Pleas'd to receive a gracious smile from thee.

Verse 13

Rich are the royal charmer's robes--behold, How bright she glistens in her braided gold; With all their efforts art and nature strove, To make her worthy of a monarch's love.

Verse 14

She comes; the king receives the lovely prize, And speechless tranfport lightens in his eyes. Her maids attend her, maids divinely fair, Whose lovely forms their high descent declare: With shouts of joy the people round them wait, To hail their entrance in the palace-gate.

Verse 15

O high-born maid! regret thy fire no more, But view the pleasures of my regal pow'r; Let all thy beauties, let thy love be mine; I'll make thee mother of a royal line; Thy sons shall boast a wide extended sway, And distant nations shall their rule obey.

Verse 16

Thy beauties too, the subject of my song, Shall still employ my lyre, and tune my tongue; Thy beauties late posterity shall sing, And bless the lovely fair, that charm'd the king.