Scripture Verse

What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? Revelation 7:13

Introduction

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spir­it­ual Songs, Book 1, num­ber 40, 1707. The bu­si­ness and bless­ed­ness of glo­ri­fied saints; or, The mar­tyrs glo­ri­fied.

Music: Brew­er, in Wy­eth’s Re­po­si­to­ry of Sac­red Mu­sic, Part Se­cond, by John Wy­eth, 1813 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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John Wyeth (1770–1858)

Lyrics

What hap­py men, or an­gels, these,
That all their robes are spot­less white?
Whence did this glo­ri­ous troop ar­rive
At the pure realms of heav’n­ly light?

From tor­tur­ing racks and burn­ing fires,
And seas of their own blood they came;
But nob­ler blood has washed their robes,
Flowing from Christ their dy­ing Lamb.

Now they ap­proach th’al­mig­hty throne,
With loud ho­san­nas night and day,
Sweet an­thems to the great Three-One,
Measure their blest eter­ni­ty.

No more shall hun­ger pain their souls;
He bids their parch­ing thirst be gone,
And spreads the sha­dow of His wings
To screen them from the scorch­ing sun.

The Lamb that fills the mid­dle throne
Shall shed around His mild­er beams;
There shall they feast on His rich love,
And drink full joys from liv­ing streams.

Thus shall their migh­ty bliss re­new
Through the vast round of end­less years;
And the soft hand of so­ver­eign grace
Heals all their wounds and wipes their tears.