Scripture Verse

The street of the city was pure gold. Revelation 21:21

Introduction

portrait
Edward F. Rimbault
1816–1876

Words: Will­iam W. How, in Church Hymns, 1871.

Music: Dud­ley Ed­ward F. Rim­bault (1816–1876) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William W. How (1823–1897)

Lyrics

The ci­ty paved with gold,
Bright with each daz­zling gem!
When shall our eyes be­hold
The new Je­ru­sa­lem?
Yet lo! e’en now in view­less might
Uprise the walls of liv­ing light!

The king­dom of the Lord!
It com­eth not with show;
Nor throne nor crown nor sword
Proclaim its might be­low;
Though dim­ly scanned through mists of sin,
The Lord’s true king­dom is with­in!

The gates of pearl are there
In pe­ni­ten­tial tears;
Bright as a jew­el rare
Each saint­ly grace ap­pears;
We track the path saints trod of old,
And lo! the pave­ment is of gold!

The liv­ing wa­ters flow
That faint­ing souls may drink;
The mys­tic fruit trees grow
Along the ri­ver’s brink;
We taste e’en now the wa­ters sweet,
And of the tree of life we eat.

Not home­less wand­er­ers here
Our ex­ile songs we sing;
Thou art our home most dear,
Thou ci­ty of the King!
Thy fu­ture bliss we can­not tell,
Content in thee on earth to dwell.

Build, Lord, the mys­tic walls!
Throw wide the un­seen gates!
Fill all the gold­en halls,
While yet Thy tri­umph waits!
Make glad Thy church with light and love,
Till glo­ri­fied it shines above!