Scripture Verse

I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:4

Introduction

Words: Gus­tav­es E. Hill­er, in Al­ex­an­der’s Gos­pel Songs and So­los, ed­it­ed by Charles M. Al­ex­an­der (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Ster­ling Mu­sic, 1917).

Music: Wen­zhou Da­ni­el B. Tow­ner, 1917 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Daniel Towner (1850–1919)

Lyrics

Jesus shall reign—re­joice, ye na­tions,
Echo it through this vale of tears!
Jesus shall reign amidst His peo­ple,
Reign on the earth a thou­sand years.

Refrain

A thou­sand years, O bless­èd sto­ry!
Sung to the world by an­cient seers;
Jesus will come in pow­er and glo­ry,
And He will reign a thou­sand years.

When He shall reign o’er all the king­doms,
Hatreds and wars will be no more;
Peace will pre­vail, and raise her ban­ners
Over the earth from shore to shore.

Refrain

Lift up your heads, ye strug­gling toil­ers!
For your re­demp­tion draw­eth nigh.
Glory to God, the King is com­ing;
Justice shall reign be­neath the sky.

Refrain

’Tis the new day whose gold­en twi­light
Abraham was so glad to see;
’Tis the glad age when truth shall tri­umph;
’Tis the great Year of Ju­bi­lee!

Refrain