- Published on
When I Read the Bible Through
I supposed I knew my Bible
Reading piecemeal, hit and miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah
Certain Psalms (the twenty-third!);
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs -
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.
Oh, the massive, mighty volume!
Oh, the treasures manifold!
Oh, the beauty of the wisdom
And the grace it proved to hold!
As the story of the Hebrews
Swept in majesty along,
As it leaped in waves prophetic,
As it burst to sacred song,
As it gleamed with Christly omens,
The Old Testament was new,
Strong with cumulative power,
When I read the Bible through.
Ah! Imperial Jeremiah,
With his keen, coruscant mind;
And the blunt old Nehemiah,
And Ezekiel refined!
Newly came the Minor Prophets
Each with his distinctive robe,
Newly came the Song idyllic,
And the tragedy of Job;
Deuteronomy, the regal,
To a towering mountain grew,
With its comrade peaks around it,
When I read the Bible through.
What a radiant procession
As the pages rise and fall,
James the sturdy, John the tender
O the myriad-minded Paul!
Vast apocalyptic glories
Wheel and thunder, flash and flame,
While the church triumphant raises
One incomparable Name.
Ah, the story of the Saviour
Never glows supremely true
Till you read it whole and swiftly,
Till you read the Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
And yawn thro’ a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
As you treat no other book -
Just a paragraph disjointed,
Just a crude, impatient look -
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through!
by Amos R. Wells
Amos Russel Wells was born on 23 December 1862 in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, United States of America. He became a college professor, an editor, a poet, and a writer. Amos Russel Wells passed on at 70 years of age on 6 March 1933 in Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America.
I supposed I knew my Bible
Reading piecemeal, hit and miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah
Certain Psalms (the twenty-third!);
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs -
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.
Oh, the massive, mighty volume!
Oh, the treasures manifold!
Oh, the beauty of the wisdom
And the grace it proved to hold!
As the story of the Hebrews
Swept in majesty along,
As it leaped in waves prophetic,
As it burst to sacred song,
As it gleamed with Christly omens,
The Old Testament was new,
Strong with cumulative power,
When I read the Bible through.
Ah! Imperial Jeremiah,
With his keen, coruscant mind;
And the blunt old Nehemiah,
And Ezekiel refined!
Newly came the Minor Prophets
Each with his distinctive robe,
Newly came the Song idyllic,
And the tragedy of Job;
Deuteronomy, the regal,
To a towering mountain grew,
With its comrade peaks around it,
When I read the Bible through.
What a radiant procession
As the pages rise and fall,
James the sturdy, John the tender
O the myriad-minded Paul!
Vast apocalyptic glories
Wheel and thunder, flash and flame,
While the church triumphant raises
One incomparable Name.
Ah, the story of the Saviour
Never glows supremely true
Till you read it whole and swiftly,
Till you read the Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
And yawn thro’ a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
As you treat no other book -
Just a paragraph disjointed,
Just a crude, impatient look -
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through!
by Amos R. Wells
Amos Russel Wells was born on 23 December 1862 in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, United States of America. He became a college professor, an editor, a poet, and a writer. Amos Russel Wells passed on at 70 years of age on 6 March 1933 in Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America.
The poem, "When I Read the Bible Through" by Amos Russel Wells is no longer under copyright because the author passed on before 1938. The work is now in the public domain, meaning it may be freely used by anyone for any purpose, including in print or performances (such as readings). You can read aloud and record the poem for your broadcast on www.YouTube.com. As a best practice, we always mention the names of the authors when they are known with the works we publish on www.MakeFunOfLife.net because we believe in giving credit where credit is due, so you may also want to be sure to mention Amos Russel Wells as the author or writer of the poem.
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