Scripture Verse

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. Revelation 14:13

Introduction

Words: An­na L. Bar­bauld, in the Lei­sure Hour Im­proved (Ir­on­bridge, Eng­land: 1809), alt.

Music: Ash­well Lo­well Ma­son, Car­mi­na Sac­ra (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: John H. Wil­kins & Ri­chard B. Car­ter, 1844), page 55 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Anna L. Barbauld
(1743–1825)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

illustration
Lyra Germanica, 1862

How blest the right­eous when he dies!
When sinks a wea­ry soul to rest,
How mild­ly beam the clos­ing eyes,
How gent­ly heaves th’ex­pir­ing breast!

So fades a sum­mer cloud away;
So sinks a gale when storms are o’er;
So gent­ly shuts the eye of day;
So dies a wave along the shore.

A ho­ly qui­et reigns around,
A calm which life nor death de­stroys;
And naught dis­turbs that peace pro­found
Which his un­fet­tered soul en­joys.

Farewell, con­flict­ing hopes and fears,
Where lights and shades al­ter­nate dwell;
How bright th’un­chang­ing morn ap­pears!
Farewell, in­con­stant world, far­ewell!

Life’s la­bor done, as sinks the clay,
Light from its load the spir­it flies,
While Heav’n and earth com­bine to say,
How blest the right­eous when he dies!