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 worshipped 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-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

portrait
Daniel B. 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