Blest be the God and Father
Of Jesus Christ the Son,
Who chose us for all blessing
Ere time had yet begun,
That we redeemed–His children–
Might dwell with Him above,
And know the depth and fulness
Of His unbounded love.

Where all those deep affections,
Which fill the Father’s heart,
Shall find their satisfaction,
Their joy to us impart;
Where we, His throne surrounding,
Shall Abba, Father, say,
Within those many mansions
Prepared for that day.

E’en whilst we here are waiting,
His rest on high to share,
We know our blest relation
As children to Him there,
And by His Spirit’s leading,
We Abba, Father, cry;
With ever-growing longing
We seek our home on high.

Oh for the robe of whiteness,
To walk with Christ in light,
Oh for the glorious brightness
Of day without a night.

We would a name of favor,
Graved on the stone of white,
We’d taste that manna’s flavor,
Reserved for heaven’s delight.

‘Tis sweet, the thought of rising
The risen Lord to meet;
Or changed, ourselves surprising,
Like Him for whom we wait.

What joy supreme in seeing
The Savior face to face,
The peaceful joy of being
For ever in that place!

Jesus, Thou King of glory,
We soon shall dwell with Thee,
And sing Thy love’s bright story,
When we Thy glory see.

E’en now our souls would enter
The holiest on high,
That all our love might center
On Thee who cam’st to die.

At God’s right hand in glory
Thou sitt’st, Thy work complete,
Till perfected the story
That gives us too our seat.

Then o’er the wide creation
Thy power will stretch it’s arm;
Secure from all temptation,
Free from all human harm.

O Jesus, Friend unfailing,
How dear art Thou to me!
Are cares or fears assailing?
I find my strength in Thee!
Why should my feet grow weary
Of this my pilgrim way?
Rough though the path and dreary,
It ends in perfect day!

Naught, naught I court as pleasure,
Compared, O Christ with Thee!
Thy sorrow without measure,
Earned peace and joy for me.
I love to own, Lord Jesus,
Thy claims o’er me divine,
Bought with Thy blood most precious,
Whose can I be but Thine!

What fills my heart with gladness?
‘Tis Thine abounding grace!
Where can I look in sadness,
But, Jesus, on Thy face?
My all is Thy providing,
Thy love can ne’er grow cold;
In Thee, my Refuge hiding,
No good wilt Thou withhold.

Why should I droop in sorrow?
Thou’rt ever by my side!
Why trembling dread the morrow?
What ills can e’er betide?
If I my cross have taken,
‘Tis but to follow Thee;
If scorned, despised, forsaken,
Naught severs Thee from me!

O worldly pomp and glory,
Your charms are spread in vain!
I’ve heard a sweeter story!
I’ve found a truer gain!
Where Christ a place prepareth,
There is my loved abode;
There shall I gaze on Jesus:
There shall I dwell with God.

For every tribulation,
For every sore distress,
In Christ I’ve full salvation,
Sure help and quiet rest.
No fears of foes prevailing!
I triumph, Lord, in Thee!
O Jesus! Friend unfailing,
How dear art Thou to me!

Lord Jesus! we remember
The travail of Thy soul,
When, through Thy love’s deep pity,
The waves did o’er Thee roll;
Baptized in death’s dark waters,
For us Thy blood was shed;
For us Thou (Lord of glory)
Wast numbered with the dead.

O Lord! Thou now art risen,
Thy travail all is o’er;
For sin Thou once hast suffered–
Thou liv’st to die no more;
Sin, death, and hell are vanquished
By Thee, the church’s Head;
And lo! we share thy triumphs,
Thou Firstborn from the dead.

Unto Thy death baptized,
We own with Thee we died:
With Thee, our Life, we’re risen,
And shall be glorified.
From sin, the world, and Satan,
We’re ransomed by Thy blood,
And here would walk as strangers,
Alive with Thee to God.

In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear,
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid,
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?

Wherever He may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh
And I will walk with Him.

Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen,
Bright skies will soon be o’er me,
Where the dark clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
My path to life is free,
My Savior has my treasure,
And He will walk with me.

Ere yet another morning
My spirit may be free,
As absent from the body,
At home, O Lord, with Thee.
O sleep, O rest, how precious!
As guarded by Thy care,
I’m waiting for Thy promise
To meet Thee in the air.

The Lord Himself, e’en Jesus,
Amid the ransomed throng,
Its glory, joy, and beauty,
Its never ending song.
O day of wondrous promise!
The Bridegroom and the bride
Are seen in glory ever:
For ever satisfied.

Our Father, we would worship
In Jesus’ holy name;
For He, whate’er our changes,
For ever in the same:
Through Him our childlike praises
As incense sweet will be;
The songs Thy Spirit raises
Can ne’er want melody.

The fire Thy love hath kindled
Shall never be put out;
The Spirit keeps it burning
(Though dimmed by things without):
O make it burn more brightly!
By faith more freely shine;
That we may value rightly,
The grace that made us Thine.

O Jesus, precious Savior,
O when wilt Thou return?
Our hearts with woe familiar,
To Thee, our Master turn.

Our woe is thine, Lord Jesus,
Our joy is in Thy love,
But woe and joy all lead us
To Thee in heaven above.

To Thee we look, Lord Jesus,
To Thee whose love we know,
We wait the power that frees us
From bondage, sin, and woe.

We look for Thine appearing,
Thy presence here to bless,
We greet the day that’s nearing,
When all this woe shall cease.

But, oh, for us, blest Savior,
How brighter far the lot,
To be with Thee for ever,
Where evil enters not!

To see Thee who’st so loved us,
Then face to face above,
Whose grace at first had moved us
To taste and know Thy love.

With Thee, O Lord, for ever,
Our souls shall be content,
No act nor thought shall ever
Full joy with Thee prevent.

O come, then, soon, Lord Jesus,
In patience still we wait,
Await the power that frees us–
Our longed-for heavenly seat.

O Jesus Christ, most holy–
Head of the church, Thy bride,
In us each day more fully
Thy name be magnified!
O may, in each believer,
Thy love its power display,
And none among us ever
From Thee, our Shepherd, stray!

Rest of the saints in glory,
The laborer’s bright reward,
How constant sounds before me,
"For ever with the Lord."
Rest, through the toil of Jesus,
For saints there doth remain;
An endless rest and precious;
A rest from sin and pain.

My longing heart, now pillowed
On Jesus’ breast of love,
Hath oft to me foreshadowed,
That blissful rest above;
But, O my soul, remember,
None shall be weary there;
The ransomed without number
God’s blessed rest will share.

His face in radiant glory,
With rapture they will see;
His wounds will tell the story,
To swell the jubilee!
The subjects of salvation
Will praise Him ever there;
While all the new creation
God’s endless rest will share.