I have read of a beau­ti­ful ci­ty,
Far away in the king­dom of God;
I have read how its walls are of jas­per,
How its streets are all gold­en and broad;
In the midst of the street is life’s ri­ver,
Clear as crys­tal and pure to be­hold;
But not half of that ci­ty’s bright glo­ry
To mor­tals has ev­er been told.

Refrain

Not half has ev­er been told;
Not half has ev­er been told;
Not half of that ci­ty’s bright glo­ry
To mor­tals has ev­er been told.

I have read of bright man­sions in Hea­ven,
Which the Sav­ior has gone to pre­pare;
And the saints who on earth have been faith­ful,
Rest for­ev­er with Christ ov­er there;
There no sin ev­er en­ters, nor sor­row,
The in­ha­bi­tants ne­ver grow old;
But not half of the won­der­ful sto­ry
To mor­tals has ev­er been told.

Refrain

I have read of white robes for the right­eous,
Of bright crowns which the glo­ri­fied wear,
When our Fa­ther shall bid them, Come, en­ter,
And My glo­ry eter­nal­ly share;
How the right­eous are ev­er­more bless­èd
As they walk through the streets of pure gold;
But not half of the won­der­ful sto­ry
To mor­tals has ev­er been told.

Refrain

I have read of a Christ so for­giv­ing,
That vile sin­ners may ask and re­ceive
Peace and par­don for ev­ery trans­gress­ion,
If when ask­ing they on­ly be­lieve.
I have read how He’ll guide and pro­tect us,
If for safe­ty we en­ter His fold;
But not half of His good­ness and mer­cy
To mor­tals has ev­er been told.

Refrain