Scripture Verse

I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2

Introduction

portrait
Frederic E. Weatherly (1848–1929)
National Portrait Gallery
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Words: Fred­er­ic E. Wea­ther­ly, 1892. Jea­nette Mac­Don­ald sang this piece, with an ac­com­pa­ny­ing boys’ choir, in the 1936 film San Fran­cis­co, which won an Aca­de­my Award for Best Sound Re­cord­ing, and was no­mi­nat­ed in five oth­er ca­te­gor­ies. As of 2024, You­Tube had a video of her ren­di­tion.

Music: Mi­chael May­brick (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Last night I lay a sleep­ing,
There came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Je­ru­sa­lem
Beside the tem­ple there.
I heard the child­ren sing­ing,
And ev­er as they sang,
Methought the voice of an­gels
From Heav’n in an­swer rang;
Methought the voice of an­gels
From Heav’n in an­swer rang—
Jerusalem! Je­ru­sa­lem!
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the high­est
Hosanna to your king!

And then me­thought my dream was changed,
The streets no long­er rang,
Hushed were the glad ho­san­nas
The lit­tle child­ren sang.
The sun grew dark with mys­te­ry,
The morn was cold and chill,
As the sha­dow of a cross arose
Upon a lone­ly hill,
As the sha­dow of a cross arose
Upon a lone­ly hill.
Jerusalem! Je­ru­salem!
Hark! how the an­gels sing,
Hosanna in the high­est,
Hosanna to your king.

And once again the scene was changed,
New earth there seemed to be,
I saw the Ho­ly Ci­ty
Beside the tide­less sea;
The light of God was on its streets,
The gates were op­en wide,
And all who would might en­ter,
And no one was de­nied.
No need of moon or stars by night,
Or sun to shine by day,
It was the new Je­ru­sa­lem,
That would not pass away,
It was the new Je­ru­sa­lem,
That would not pass away.
Jerusalem! Je­ru­sa­lem!
Sing, for the night is o’er!
Hosanna in the high­est,
Hosanna for ev­er­more!
Hosanna in the high­est,
Hosanna for ev­er­more!

illustration
The Holy City
Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1905