SLEEPING AND WAKING.
GOD giveth his beloved sleep;
They lie securely ’neath his wing
Till the night pale, the dawning break;
Safe in its overshadowing
They fear no dark and harmful thing;—
What does he give to those who wake?
To those who sleep he gives good dreams;
For bodies overtasked and spent
Comes rest to comfort every ache;
To weary eyes new light is sent,
To weary spirits new content;—
What does God give to those who wake?
His angels sit beside the beds
Of such as rest beneath his care.
Unweariedly their post they take,
They wave their wings to fan the air,
They cool the brow and stroke the hair,—
To fevered eyes that cannot close,
To hearts o’erburdened with their lot,
He comes to soothe, to heal, to slake;
Close to the pillows hard and hot
He stands, although they see him not,
And taketh care of those who wake.
Nor saint nor angel will he trust
With this one blessed ministry,
Lest they should falter or mistake;
They guard the sleepers faithfully
Who are the Lord’s beloved; but he
Watches by those beloved who wake.
Oh, in the midnight dense and drear,
When life drifts outward with the tide,
And mortal terrors overtake,
In this sure thought let us abide,
And unafraid be satisfied,—
God comes himself to those who wake!