{"id":34,"date":"2015-11-05T17:03:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-05T17:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/?page_id=34"},"modified":"2017-08-29T18:46:41","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T18:46:41","slug":"a-paraphrase-on-simeons-song","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/a-paraphrase-on-simeons-song\/","title":{"rendered":"A Paraphrase on Simeons Song"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Paraphrase on Simeons Song1<\/a> <\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Blessed Creator, who before the birth
\nOf time, and ere the pillars of the Earth
\nWere fix’t or form’d, didst lay that great design
\nOf man’s redemption2<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>, and didst desire
\nIn thine eternal councels all the scene
\nOf that stupendious Business, and when
\nIt should appear, and tho the very day
\nOf its Ephiphany<\/a> concealed lay
\nWithin thy mind, yet thou was pledged to shew
\nSom glimpses of it unto men below
\nIn Visions, Types<\/a> and prophesies as we
\nThings at a distance in perspective see:
\nBut thou wert pleas’d to let thy servant know
\nThat that Bless’d hour that seem’d to move so slow
\nThrough former ages, should at last attain
\nIt’s time, ere my few sands, which yet remain
\nAre spent, and yet whose aged eyes
\nShould see the day when Jacobs Star3<\/a> <\/sup><\/a> should rise,
\nAnd now thouh hast fulfilled it, blessed Lord,
\nDismiss me now, according to thy word,
\nAnd let my aged body now return
\nTo Rest, and dust, and drop into an urn
\nFor I have liv’d enough mine eyes have seen
\nThy much desir’d Salvation that have been
\nSo long, so dearly wish’d the joy, the hope
\nOf all the Ancient patriarchs, the Scope
\nOf all the prophecies, and mysteries:
\nOf Jewish Church unridled<\/a>, and the bright and
\nAnd Orient Sun arisen to give light
\nTo Gentiles<\/a>, and the Joy of Isreal
\nThe worlds Redeemer, blest Emmanuel.
\nLet this sight close mine Eyes, ’tis Loss to See
\nAfter this Vision, any sight but thee<\/p>\n

by Sir Matthew Hale as transcribed by Elizabeth Newell <\/p>\n

Footnotes<\/p>\n

1<\/a><\/sup> Simeon\u2019s 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.<\/a>
\n<\/a>2<\/sup> 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.<\/a>
\n3<\/a><\/sup> 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.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions\/147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}