Scripture Verse

God…has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

Introduction

portrait

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: Bu­rton & Briggs, 1818), num­ber 819, alt. Long­ing for Hea­ven.

Music: Mar­tyr­dom Hugh Wil­son, 1800. Ar­ranged by Ralph E. Hud­son, cir­ca 1885 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bed­dome or Wil­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

How blest the shin­ing forms above,
Who dwell so near their God;
They ever taste His rich­est love,
Nor fear His lift­ed rod.

Thus freed from ev­ery toil and care,
Fain would we leave our clay;
Some friend­ly ser­aph, come and bear
Our lin­ger­ing souls away.

When shall we reach the bliss­ful shore?
Lord, call Thy pri­son­ers home;
Our hearts and joys are gone be­fore,
Come death, and Je­sus, come.

But why im­patient of de­lay,
So ea­ger to be gone?
If God com­mands a long­er stay,
His so­ver­eign will be done.