Scripture Verse

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Revelation 21:21

Introduction

Words: Ed­ward H. Ne­vin, in Grove Songs No. 2, by Asa Hull (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Asa Hull, 1872), num­ber 1.

Music: Pear­ly Gate Asa Hull (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Asa Hull (1828–1907)

Lyrics

The night is dark, the storm is loud;
Beneath its force the trees are bowed;
Yet still the pear­ly gate I see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain

To wel­come me, to wel­come me,
The an­gels stand to wel­come me.

My heart is sad, deep sor­rows roll,
Like streams of fire across my soul;
And yet the pear­ly gate I see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain

With fears with­out, and foes with­in,
I seem al­most sub­dued by sin;
And yet the pear­ly gate I see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain

The road is rough, my feet are sore,
I long to have the jour­ney o’er;
And yet the pear­ly gate I see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain

My eyes are dim, and faint my breath,
Within me are the seeds of death;
But still the pear­ly gate I see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain

When life is gone, and in my breast
All grief and fears are hushed to rest,
I hope the pear­ly gate to see,
Where an­gels stand to wel­come me.

Refrain