2. Released from sorrow, sin, and strife,
Death was the gate to endless life,
And now they range the heavenly plains,
And sing His love in melting strains.
3. They gaze upon His beauteous face,
And tell the wonders of His grace;
Or, overwhelmed with raptures sweet,
Sink down, adoring at His feet.
4. Ah, Lord! with faltering steps I creep,
And sometimes sing, and sometimes weep.
When shall I wake in heaven to prove
The heights and depths of Jesus' love.
1. O FOR a sweet, inspiring ray,
To animate our feeble strains,
From the bright realms of endless day,
The blissful realms where Jesus reigns.
2. There, low before His glorious throne,
Adoring saints and angels fall;
And, with delightful worship, own
His smile their bliss, their heaven, their all.
3. Immortal glories crown His head,
While tuneful hallelujahs rise,
And love, and joy, and triumph spread
Through all th' assemblies of the skies.
4. He smiles and seraphs tune their songs
To boundless rapture, while they gaze;
Ten thousand thousand joyful tongues
Resound His everlasting praise.
5. There all the followers of the Lamb,
Shall join at last the heavenly choir,
O, may the joy-inspiring theme
Awake our faith and warm desire.
1228.
1. As when the weary traveler gains
The height of some o'erlooking hill,
His heart revives, if, 'cross the plains,
He eyes his home, though distant still.
2. So when the Christian pilgrim views,
By faith, his mansion in the skies,
The sight his fainting strength renews,
And wings his speed to reach the prize.
3. 'Tis there, he says, I am to dwell
With Jesus in the realms of day;
Then shall I bid my cares farewell,
And He will wipe my tears away.
1. THERE is a land mine eye hath seen,
In visions of enraptured thought,
So bright, that all which spreads between
Is with its radiant glories fraught.
2. A land, upon whose blissful shore
There rests no shadow, falls no stain;
There those who meet shall part no more,
And those long parted meet again.
3. Its skies are not like earthly skies,
With varying hues of shade and light;
It hath no need of suns to rise
To dissipate the gloom of night.
4. There sweeps no desolating wind
Across that calm, serene abode;
The wanderer there a home may find
Within the paradise of God.
1. WHAT is life? 't is but a vapor,
Soon it vanishes away.
Life is but a dying taper
O, my soul, why wish to stay!
Why not spread thy wings and fly
Straight to yonder world of joy.
2. See that glory, how resplendent!
Brighter far than fancy paints;
There, in majesty transcendent,
Jesus reigns the King of saints.
Why not spread, etc.
3. Joyful crowds, His throne surrounding,
Sing with rapture of His love;
Through the heavens His praise resounding,
Filling all the courts above.
Why not spread, etc.
4. Go, and share His people's glory,
'Midst the ransomed crowd appear;
Thine a joyful, wondrous story,
One that angels love to hear.
Why not spread, etc.
1. SISTER, thou wast mild and lovely,
Gentle as the summer breeze,
Pleasant as the air of evening,
When it floats among the trees.
2. Peaceful be thy silent slumber-
Peaceful in the grave so low:
Thou no more wilt join our number;
Thou no more our songs shalt know.
3. Dearest sister, thou hast left us,
Here thy loss we deeply feel;
But 't is God that hath bereft us,
He can all our sorrows heal.
4. Yet again we hope to meet thee,
When the day of life is fled;
Then in heaven with joy to greet thee,
Where no farewell tear is shed.
1. HALLELUJAH! best and sweetest
Of the hymns of praise above!
Hallelujah! thou repeatest,
Angel-host, these notes of love;
This ye utter,
While your golden harps ye move.
2. Hallelujah! church victorious,
Join the concert of the sky!
Hallelujah! bright and glorious,
Lift, ye saints, this strain on high!
We, poor exiles,
Join not yet your melody.
3. Hallelujah! strains of gladness
Comfort not the faint and worn;
Hallelujah! sounds of sadness
Best become the heart forlorn;
Our offenses
We with bittter tears must mourn.
4. But our earnest supplication,
Holy God! we raise to Thee;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Make us all Thy peace to see!
Hallelujah!
Ours at length this strain shall be.
1. JERUSALEM! my glorious home,
Name ever dear to me!
When shall my labors have an end,
In joy, and peace, and Thee!
2. When shall these eyes Thy heaven-built walls And pearly gates behold?
Thy bulwarks with salvation strong,
And streets of shining gold?
3. There happier bowers than Eden's bloom, Nor sin nor sorrow know:
Blessed seats! through rude and stormy scenes
I onward press to you.
4. Why should I shrink at pain and woe?
Or feel, at death, dismay?
I've Canaan's goodly land in view,
And realms of endless day.
5. Apostles, martyrs, prophets there,
Around my Saviour stand;
And soon my friends in Christ below
Will join the glorious band.
6. Jerusalem! my glorious home!
My soul still pants for Thee;
Then shall my labors have an end,
When I Thy joys shall see.
1. Lo! what a glorious sight appears
To our believing eyes!
The earth and seas are passed away,
And the old rolling skies.
2. From the third heaven, where God resides,
That holy, happy place,
The new Jerusalem comes down,
Adorned with shining grace.
3. Attending angels shout for joy,
And the bright armies sing-
"Mortals, behold the sacred seat
Of your descending King.
4. "The God of glory down to men
Removes His blest abode!
Men, the dear objects of His grace
And He the loving God.
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