O Lord! at Joseph's humble bench
Thy hands did handle saw and plane,
Thy hammer nails did drive and clench,
Avoiding knot, and humoring grain.
That thou didst seem thou _wast_ indeed,
In sport thy tools thou didst not use,
Nor, helping hind's or fisher's need,
The laborer's _hire_ too nice refuse.
Lord! might I be but as a saw,
A plane, a chisel in thy hand!
No, Lord! I take it back in awe,
Such prayer for me is far too grand.
I pray, O Master! let me lie,
As on thy bench the favored wood;
Thy saw, thy plane, thy chisel ply,
And work me into something good.
No! no! Ambition holy, high,
Urges for more than both to pray;
Come in, O gracious force, I cry,
O Workman! share my shed of clay.
Then I at bench, or desk, or oar,
With last, or needle, net, or pen,
As thou in Nazareth of yore,
Shall do the Father's will again.
--George Macdonald.