A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations / Consisting of Choice Passages from the Sacred Poetry of All Ages and Countries, Classified and Arranged, for Facility of Reference, Under Subject Headings; Illustrated by Striking Passages from Scripture, and Forming Altogether a Complete Book of Devotional Poetry.

by Unknown

CONTRITION.

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.—Psalm xxxiv. 18.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.—Psalm li. 17.

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.—Isaiah, lvii. 15.

To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.—Isaiah, lxvi. 2.

Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed

Sown with contrition in his heart, than those

Which, his own hand manuring, all the trees

Of Paradise could have produced.

Milton.

I, who have gone so far and long astray,

Adding to primal guilt the mountains high

Of trespass day by day, as if to try

Thy long forbearance, still for mercy pray;

For mercy even yet. Look ere thou slay,

Great God! upon my tears; look where I lie

Repentant; give, O give, before I die,

Thy grace, and guide my feet into thy way.

Reveal thy sufferings, thy blood and sweat:

Short is my time; reveal thy bitter cross

To my dark eyes, all used to other sight.

Quench, O my God! all that unhallowed heat

Of former life, which now I count but loss:

Lord, thou hast ne’er despised a heart contrite.

From the Italian of Gabriel Fiamma.

Where sad contrition harbours, there the heart

Is truly acquainted with the secret smart

Of past offences, hates the bosom sin

The most, which most the soul took pleasure in;

No crime unsifted, no sin unpresented

Can lurk unseen, and seen, none unlamented;

The troubled soul’s amazed with dire aspects

Of lesser sins committed, and detects

The wounded conscience; it cries amain

For mercy—mercy; cries, and cries again.

It sadly grieves, and soberly laments,

It yearns for grace, reforms, returns, repents.

Aye, this is incense whose accepted savour

Mounts up the heavenly throne, and findeth favour:

Aye, this it is whose valour never fails—

With God it stoutly wrestles and prevails:

Aye, this it is that pierces heaven above,

Never returning home, (like Noah’s dove,)

But brings an olive leaf, or some increase,

That works salvation and eternal peace.

Quarles.

All powerful is the penitential sigh

Of true contrition; like the placid wreaths

Of incense, wafted from the righteous shrine

Where Abel ministered, to the blest seat

Of Mercy, an accepted sacrifice,

Humiliation’s conscious plaint ascends.

Samuel Hayes.

Lord! who art merciful as well as just,

Incline thine ear to me, a child of dust!

Not what I would, O Lord! I offer thee,

Alas! but what I can.

Father Almighty, who hast made me man,

And bade me look to heaven, for thou art there,

Accept my sacrifice and humble prayer.

Four things which are not in my treasury,

I lay before thee, Lord, with this petition:—

My nothingness, my wants,

My sins, and my contrition.

Southey, imitated from the Persian.

O, my soul! thy lost condition

Brought the gentle Saviour low!

Hast thou felt one hour’s contrition

For those sins that pierced him so?

Dost thou bear the love thou owest

For such proof of grace divine?

Can’st thou answer,—Lord thou knowest

That this heart is wholly Thine?

C. Bowles.