The Saints' Rest

Representative Text

1 Rest of the saints above,
Jerusalem of God,
Who in thy palaces of love,
Thy golden streets have trod?

2 To me thy joy to tell,
Those courts secure from ill,
Where God Himself vouchsafes to dwell,
And ev'ry bosom fill.

3 Who shall to me that joy
Of saint-thronged courts declare,
Tell of that constant sweet employ
My spirit longs to share?

4 That rest secure from ill
No cloud of grief e'er stains,
Unfailing praise each heart doth fill,
And love eternal reigns.

5 The Lamb is there, my soul,--
There God Himself doth rest,
In love divine diffused through all
With Him supremely blest.

6 God sand the Lamb!--'tis well,
I know that source divine
Of joy and love no tongue can tell,
Yet know that all is mine.

7 And see, the Spirit's pow'r
Has oped the heavenly door,
Has brought me to that favored hour
When toil shall all be o'er.

8 There on the hidden bread
Of Christ--once humbled here--
God's treasured store--forever fed,
His love my soul shall cheer.

9 Called by that secret name
Of undisclosed delight,
(Blest answer to reproach and shame)
Graved on the stone of white.

10 There in effulgence bright,
Saviour and Guide, with Thee
I'll walk, and in Thy heavenly light
Whiter my robe shall be.

11 There in th' unsullid way
Which His own hand hath dressed,
My feet press on where brightest day
Shines forth on all the rest.

12 But who that glorious blaze
Of living light shall tell,
Where all His brightness God displays?
And the Lamb's glories dwell?

13 (There only to adore,
My soul its strength may find,
Its life, its joy, for evermore,
By sight nor sense defined.)

14 God and the Lamb shall there
The light and temple be,
And radiant hosts forever share
The unvaild mystery.

Source: A Few Hymns and Some Spiritual Songs. Selected 1856, for the Little Flock. Revised, 1881 #79

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Author: J. N. Darby

Darby, John Nelson, M.A., youngest son of John Darby of Leap, King's Co., Ireland, was born at Westminster, Nov. 18, 1800; educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated in 1819; and in due course was called to the Bar. He subsequently took Holy Orders; but in a short time allied himself with the Plymouth Brethren. In the exercise of his ministry amongst them he visited most parts of the world, and translated the Bible into English, French, and German. His published works, including a Synopsis of the Books of the Bible; Notes on Revelations, &c, are numerous. He died at Bournemouth, April 29, 1882. His hymns in common use are:— 1. Hark, ten thousand voices crying. The Second Advent anticipated. Praise. Appeared in Hy… Go to person page >

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