Scripture Verse

They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Hen­ry L. Fri­sbie, in The Sil­ver Chime, ed­it­ed by George F. Root (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: He­nry Tol­man, 1862), pag­es 36–37 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

No mor­tal eye that land hath seen,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver,
Its smil­ing val­leys, hills so green,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver;
Its shores are com­ing near­er,
The skies are grow­ing clear­er,
Each day it seem­eth near­er,
That land be­yond the ri­ver.

Refrain

We’ll stand the storm,
We’ll stand the storm,
Its rage is al­most ov­er;
We’ll an­chor in the har­bor soon,
In the land be­yond the ri­ver.

No can­ker­ing care nor mor­tal strife,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver,
But happy, ne­ver end­ing life
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver.
Thro’ the eter­nal hours,
God’s love, in heav’n­ly show­ers,
Shall wa­ter faith’s fair flow­ers
In the land be­yond the ri­ver.

Refrain

That glo­ri­ous day will ne’er be done,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver,
When we’ve the crown and king­dom won,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver.
There is eter­nal plea­sure,
And joys that none can mea­sure,
For those who have their trea­sure,
In the land be­yond the ri­ver.

Refrain

When we shall look from Zi­on’s hill,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver,
With end­less bliss our hearts shall thrill,
Beyond, be­yond the ri­ver.
There an­gels bright are sing­ing,
Where gold­en harps are ring­ing,
We ne’er shall cease our sing­ing,
In the land be­yond the ri­ver.

Refrain