A Paraphrase on Simeons Song1
Blessed Creator, who before the birth
Of time, and ere the pillars of the Earth
Were fix’t or form’d, didst lay that great design
Of man’s redemption2 , and didst desire
In thine eternal councels all the scene
Of that stupendious Business, and when
It should appear, and tho the very day
Of its Ephiphany concealed lay
Within thy mind, yet thou was pledged to shew
Som glimpses of it unto men below
In Visions, Types and prophesies as we
Things at a distance in perspective see:
But thou wert pleas’d to let thy servant know
That that Bless’d hour that seem’d to move so slow
Through former ages, should at last attain
It’s time, ere my few sands, which yet remain
Are spent, and yet whose aged eyes
Should see the day when Jacobs Star3 should rise,
And now thouh hast fulfilled it, blessed Lord,
Dismiss me now, according to thy word,
And let my aged body now return
To Rest, and dust, and drop into an urn
For I have liv’d enough mine eyes have seen
Thy much desir’d Salvation that have been
So long, so dearly wish’d the joy, the hope
Of all the Ancient patriarchs, the Scope
Of all the prophecies, and mysteries:
Of Jewish Church unridled, and the bright and
And Orient Sun arisen to give light
To Gentiles, and the Joy of Isreal
The worlds Redeemer, blest Emmanuel.
Let this sight close mine Eyes, ’tis Loss to See
After this Vision, any sight but thee
by Sir Matthew Hale as transcribed by Elizabeth Newell
Footnotes
1 Simeon’s song is found in the Bible in Luke 2:25-35. The text reads as follows: And behold, there was a man in Hierusalem, whose name was Simeon, and the same man was iust and deuout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the holy Ghost was vpon him. And it was reuealed vnto him by the holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seene the Lords Christ. And hee came by the spirit into the Temple: and when the parents brought in the child Iesus, to doe for him after the custome of the Lawe, Then tooke hee him vp in his armes, and blessed God, and said, Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Ioseph and his mother marueiled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said vnto Marie his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel: and for a signe which shall be spoken against, (Yea a sword shall pearce thorow thy owne soule also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be reuealed. (1611 KJV Bible). Back to text.
2 This phrase refers to the idea of predetermination. The OED definition for predetermination is as follows: The action of determining or establishing an outcome, course of events, etc., in advance; predestination; the fact of being determined in this way; an instance of this. Back to text.
3 Jacob’s Star appears in the Old Testament in Numbers 24:17. The verse reads as follows: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a starre out of Iacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (1611 KJV Bible). The reference to Jacob’s Star is the most overt example of typology in this poem because it is an example of an Old Testament image that prefigures a New Testament event. The Star of Jacob mentioned in Numbers contains a prophesy which is fulfilled in Matthew with the Three Wise Men who follow the star. Back to text.