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; 10 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? 20 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; 30 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. 40

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