Precious

Precious the bounteous widow’s mite;
And precious, for extreme delight,
The largess from the churl:
Precious the ruby’s blushing blaze,
And alba’s blest imperial rays,
And pure cerulean pearl.

Precious the penitential tear;
And precious is the sigh sincere;
Acceptable to God:
And precious are the winning flowers,
In gladsome Israel’s feast of bowers,
Bound on the hallowed sod.

More precious that diviner part
Of David, even the Lord’s own heart
Great, beautiful, and new;
In all things where it was intent,
In all extremes, in each event,
Proof—answering true to true.