Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him.
Jeremiah 22:10
Words: John S. B. Monsell, ‘Spiritual Songs’ for the Sundays and Holydays Throughout the Year (London: Longmans & Green, 1875), pages 277–79, alt.
Music: Raleigh (Kirkpatrick) William J. Kirkpatrick, 1915 (🔊
).
The journey done, the rest begun
The day of death now ended;
To life above on wings of love
The freed one hath ascended:
Why do we weep? For Christ doth keep—
He died that He might save us;
The body trust we to the dust,
The soul to God who gave it.
Our tears must fall at loss of all
That time cannot restore us;
But to the skies we lift our eyes,
And think of what’s before us:
There safe above, with Him whose love
For all their wants provideth,
The spirits blest, in changeless rest
In Paradise abideth.
Your muffled chime, ye bells of time,
Ring out with chastened gladness;
The happy soul needs not your toll,
As if it dwelt in sadness:
Toll for the dead who, living, tread
Earth’s sinful ways, hard-hearted;
But happy chime, ye bells of time,
Ring out for Christ’s departed.
Their warfare o’er, now never more
Shall sin or sorrow grieve them;
Against that day, not far away,
In holy earth we leave them:
Why should we weep? For Christ doth keep—
He died that He might save us;
The body trust we to the dust,
The soul to God who gave it.