The Ha’ Bible

AH, I could worship thee!

Thou art a gift a God of love might give;

For love and hope and joy

In thy Almighty-written pages live;—

The slave who reads shall never crouch again;

For, mind-inspired by thee, he bursts his feeble chain!

God! unto thee I kneel,

And thank thee! Thou unto my native land—

Yea, to the outspread earth—

Hast stretched in love thy everlasting hand,

And thou hast given earth, and sea, and air—

Yea, all that heart can ask of good and pure and fair!

And, Father, thou hast spread

Before men’s eyes this charter of the free,

That all thy book might read,

And justice, love, and truth, and liberty.

The gift was unto men,—the giver, God!

Thou slave! it stamps thee man,—go spurn thy weary load!

Thou doubly precious book!

Unto thy light what does not Scotland owe:—

Thou teachest age to die,

And youth in truth unsullied up to grow!

In lowly homes a comforter art thou,—

A sunbeam sent from God,—an everlasting bow!