James Montgomery

Moses in the Desert.

Go where a foot hath never trod,

Through unfrequented forests flee;

The wilderness is full of God,

His presence dwells in every tree.

To Israel and to Egypt dead,

Moses the fugitive appears;

Unknown he lived, till o'er his head

Had fall'n the snow of fourscore years.

But God the wandering exile found,

In His appointed time and place;

The desert sand grew holy ground,

And Horeb's rock a throne of grace.

The lonely bush a tree became,

A tree of beauty and of light!

Involved with unconsuming flame,

That made the moon around it night.

Then came, the Eternal Voice that spake

Salvation to the chosen seed;

Thence went the Almighty arm that brake

Proud Pharoah's yoke, and Israel freed.

By Moses, old and slow of speech,

These mighty miracles were shown;

Jehovah's messenger! to teach

That power belongs to God alone.