The City Paved with Gold

The ci­ty paved with gold

Bright with each daz­zling gem!

When shall our eyes be­hold

The new Je­ru­sa­lem?

Yet lo! e’en now in view­less might

Uprise the walls of liv­ing light!

The king­dom of the Lord!

It com­eth not with show;

Nor throne nor crown nor sword

Proclaim its might be­low;

Though dim­ly scanned through mists of sin

The Lord’s true king­dom is with­in!

The gates of pearl are there

In pe­ni­ten­tial tears;

Bright as a jew­el rare

Each saint­ly grace ap­pears;

We track the path saints trod of old

And lo! the pave­ment is of gold!

The liv­ing wa­ters flow

That faint­ing souls may drink;

The mys­tic fruit trees grow

Along the riv­er’s brink;

We taste e’en now the wa­ters sweet

And of the tree of life we eat.

Not home­less wand­er­ers here

Our ex­ile songs we sing;

Thou art our home most dear

Thou ci­ty of the King!

Thy fu­ture bliss we can­not tell

Content in thee on earth to dwell.

Build

Lord

the mys­tic walls!

Throw wide the un­seen gates!

Fill all the gold­en halls

While yet Thy tri­umph waits!

Make glad Thy church with light and love

Till glo­ri­fied it shines ab­ove!