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Chapter 17—Poetry and Song
The earliest as well as the most sublime of poetic utterances
known in literature are found in the Scriptures. Before the oldest of
the world’s poets had sung, the shepherd of Midian recorded those
words of God to Job—in their majesty unequaled, unapproached, by
the loftiest productions of human genius:
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? ...
Or who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth; ...
When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
When I fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;
When I said, This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves must stop!”
Job 38:4-11.
See also Job 38:12-27; 38:31,
32.
For beauty of expression read also the description of springtime,
from the Song of Songs:
[96]
“Lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth her green figs,
And the vines with tender grapes
Give a good smell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!”
Song of Solomon 2:11-13
.
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