Glory to God [poem by Agnes Neale]

[Editor: This poem by Agnes Neale was published in Shadows and Sunbeams (1890).]

Glory to God.

“Glory to God!” the angel hosts unnumbered
Swell the glad pean, the triumphant song;
The grand united choir of heaven rejoices,
Floods of celestial music sweep along.

“Glory to God!” ye angels, shout it louder!
“Glory to God!” mortals, take up the strain;
“Glory to God! “ the notes rise fuller, stronger,
Till all the world shall hear, and sing “Amen.”

“Glory to God!” our hearts stand still with wonder,
We bow in awe before our Father’s face;
“Glory to God!” for His great love and mercy,
Love that could still love such a fallen race.

“And peace on earth!” no longer war and bloodshed,
No longer sin’s dark train of crime and woe;
The serpent’s trail shall blot our earth no longer,
And Paradise shall be restored below.

The living Peace, the incarnated Saviour,
The Lord of heaven, the mortal Son of Man;
We cannot comprehend the depth and fulness,
The matchless fulness of redemption’s plan.

But “Peace on earth!” this is the promise given,
And this we hold to gladly, trustingly;
We know that He who promised will be faithful,
And “Peace on earth” most surely yet shall be.

“Goodwill to men!” a message sweet from heaven
The Lord Almighty sends to earth this day;
He throws aside the rod and grasps the sceptre,
And “Peace on earth” the choral angels say.

“Peace and goodwill!” how softly falls the echo
From those far ages on our listening ears;
Despite his foes, Christ shall be all triumphant,
And peace shall crown the bright millennial year.

“Peace” and the Christ! O Lord, our hearts are swelling,
Filled with glad rapture, filled with love to Thee;
The warring of our nature’s calmed and silent,
Our hearts drawn heavenward by this ecstasy.

Source:
Agnes Neale, Shadows and Sunbeams, Adelaide: Burden & Bonython, 1890, pages 19-20

Editor’s notes:
pean = an alternative spelling of “paean”: a poem, hymn, or song of joy, praise, thanksgiving, or triumph; a piece of artwork, film, song, or written work that gives great praise (in heraldry, “pean” refers to a heraldic fur which has gold spots on a black field)

serpent = in a religious context, a reference to the Devil

Old spelling in the original text:
ye (you)