Scripture Verse

I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? Revelation 5:2

Introduction

portrait
George W. Chadwick (1854–1931)

Words: Will­iam Al­ex­an­der, 1857, from his po­em The Death of Ja­cob, pag­es 17–18.

Music: Peace (Chad­wick) George W. Chad­wick, 1890 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Alexander
1824–1911

Lyrics

I saw again. Be­hold! Hea­ven’s op­en door,
Behold! a throne—the se­ra­phim stood o’er it—
The white-robed el­ders fell upon the floor,
And flung their crowns be­fore it.

I saw a won­drous book—an an­gel strong
To Hea­ven and earth pro­claimed his loud ap­peals—
But a hush passed across the se­raph’s song,
For none might loose the seals.

Then, fast as rain to death cry of the year,
Tears of St. John to that sad cry were giv­en;
It was a won­drous thing to see a tear
Fall on the floor of Hea­ven!

And a sweet voice said, Weep not, where­fore fails
Eagle of God, thy heart, the high and leal?
The Lion out of Ju­dah’s tribe pre­vails
To loose the sev­en-fold seal.

’Twas Is­ra­el’s voice; and straight­way, up above,
Stood in the midst a won­drous Lamb, snow white,
Heart-wound­ed with the deep sweet wounds of love,
Eternal, in­fi­nite.

Then rose the song no ear had heard be­fore;
Then from the white-robed throng
High an­them woke;
And fast as spring-tide on the sea­less shore
The hal­le­lu­jahs broke.

Who dreams of God when pas­sion­ate youth is high,
When first life’s wea­ry waste his feet have trod—
Who seeth an­gels’ foot­falls in the sky,
Working the works of God,

His sun shall fade as gent­ly as it rose,
Thro’ the dark woof of death’s ap­proach­ing night
His faith shall shoot, at life’s pro­phet­ic close,
Some threads of gold­en light.

For him the sil­ver lad­der shall be set—
His Sav­ior shall re­ceive his lat­est breath—
He walk­eth to a fade­less co­ro­net
Up thro’ the gate of death.