FullReads

‘Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals.’ —JER. ii. 2.

I.

MY Lord, dost Thou indeed remember me,
Just me, the least and last?
With all the names of Thy redeemed,
And all Thy angels, has it seemed
As though my name might perhaps be overpassed;
Yet here I find Thy word of tenderest grace,
True for this moment, perfect for my case,–
‘Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee!’

II.

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me,
The kindness of my youth?–
The tremulous gleams of early days,
The first faint thrills of love and praise,
Vibrating fitfully? Not much, in truth,
Can I bring back at memory’s wondering call;
Yet Thou, my faithful Lord, rememberest all,–
‘Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee!’

III.

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me,
My love, so poor, so cold?
Oh, if I had but loved Thee more!
Yet Thou hast pardoned. Let me pour
My life’s best wine for Thee, my heart’s best gold
(Worthless, yet all I have), for very shame
That Thou shouldst tell me, calling me by name,–
‘Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee!’

IV.

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me,
The day of Thine own power?
The love of mine espousals sweet,
The laying wholly at Thy feet
Of heart and life, in that glad, willing hour?
That love was Thine–I gave Thee but Thine own,
And yet the Voice falls from the emerald throne,–
‘Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee!’

V.

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me?
Forgetting every fall,
Forgetting all the treacherous days,
Forgetting all the wandering ways,
With fulness of forgiveness covering all;
Casting these memories, a hideous store,
Into the crimson sea, for evermore,
And only saying, ‘I remember thee!’

VI.

My Lord, art Thou indeed remembering me?
Then let me not forget!
Oh, be Thy kindness all the way,
Thy everlasting love to-day,
In sweet perpetual remembrance set
Before my view, to fill my marvelling gaze,
And stir my love, and lift my life to praise,
Because Thou sayest, ‘I remember thee!’