The Canticles

The Canticles:

THE FOURTH ODE

A prayer of Avvacum the Prophet

Avv. 3: 2-19

Declare, O Avvacum, the Word's kenosis. Glory be to Thy power,

O Lord.

O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and was afraid; O Lord, I

considered Thy works, and was amazed.

Between the two living creatures shalt Thou be known; when

the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be acknowledged; when the

season cometh, Thou shalt be shown forth; when my soul is

troubled, in Thine anger shalt Thou remember mercy.

God shall come from Theman, and the Holy One from the

shady and densely wooded mountain.

His virtue hath covered the heavens, and the earth was full of

His praise.

And His brightness shall be as the light; horns are in His

hands, and He hath established a mighty love of His strength.

Before His face shall the Word proceed, and He shall go forth

for instruction at His feet.

He stood, and the earth was moved; He beheld, and the

heathen melted away.

The mountains were burst asunder violently, the everlasting

hills melted away at His eternal going forth.

I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians because of troubles;

the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam were dismayed.

Wast Thou angry, O Lord, with the rivers; or was Thy wrath

against the rivers, or Thine attack against the sea? For Thou wilt

mount upon Thine horses, and Thy chariots are salvation.

Thou shalt bend thy bow, thou shalt bend it against sceptres;

the land of rivers shall be rent asunder, saith the Lord.

They shall see Thee, and the nations shall be in travail, while

Thou scatterest the courses of the waters; the deep uttered her

voice, and lifted up the height of her form on high.

The sun was lifted up, and the moon stood still in her course;

at the light Thy darts shall go forth, at the brightness of the

gleaming of Thy weapons.

With threatening shalt Thou bring low the earth, and in anger

shalt Thou break down the nations.

Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, Thou art

come to save Thine anointed ones. Thou didst bring death upon

the heads of the transgressors, Thou didst bring bands upon their

neck.

Thou didst cut asunder the heads of the mighty with fury;

they shall tremble in themselves, they shall burst their bridles, as

the poor man devouring in secret.

And Thou hast mounted upon Thine horses in the sea, and

they trouble the many waters.

I kept watch, and my belly was troubled, at the voice of the

prayer of my lips; and trembling entered into my bones, and my

strength was troubled within me.

I will rest in the day of mine affliction, that I may go up to the

people of my sojourning.

For the fig tree shall not blossom: and there shall be no increase in the vines.

The labour of the olive tree shall fail: and the fields shall yield no food: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.

But I will rejoice in the Lord: and I will joy in God my Jesus.

The Lord God is my strength: and he will make my feet like the feet of harts: and he the conqueror will lead me upon my high places singing psalms.

Glory. Both now.