The Cyber Hymnal ‎#8966

8966. Now Fain My Joyous Heart Would Sing

1 Now fain my joyous heart would sing
That lovely summer time,
When God reneweth everything
In His celestial prime;
When He shall make new heav’ns and earth,
And all the creatures there
Shall spring from out that second birth
All glorious, pure, and fair.

2 The perfect beauty of that sphere
No mortal tongue may speak,
We have no likeness for it here,
Our words are far too weak;
And we must wait till we behold
The hour of judgment true,
That to the soul shall all unfold
What God is, and can do.

3 For God ere long will summon all
Who e’er on earth were born;
This flesh shall hear the trumpet’s call
And live again that morn;
And when in Christ His Son we wake,
These skies asunder roll,
And all the bliss of Heav’n shall break
Upon the raptured soul.

4 And He will lead the white robed throng
To His fair paradise,
Where from the marriage feast the song
Of endless praise shall rise;
And from His fathomless abyss
Of perfect love and truth,
Shall flow perpetual joy and bliss,
In never ending youth.

5 Ah God, now lead me of Thy love
Through this dark world aright;
Lord Christ, defend me lest I rove
Or lies delude my fight;
And keep me steadfast in the faith
Till these dark days have ceased,
And ready still in life or death
For Thy great marriage feast.

6 And herewith will I end the song
Of that fair summer time;
The blossoms shall burst out ere long
Of Heav’n’s eternal prime;
The year begin, for ever new
God grant us then on high
To see our vision here made true,
And eat the fruits of joy!

Text Information

• First Line: Now fain my joyous heart would sing
• Title: Now Fain My Joyous Heart Would Sing
• German Title: Herzlich Tut Mich Erfreuen
• Author: Johann Walther
• Translator: Catherine Winkworth
• Meter: CMD
• Language: English
• Source: Wittenberg, Germany, 1552; Tr.: Lyra Germanica, second series (London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans & Roberts,1858)
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: YALE
• Composer: William Howard Doane (1884)
• Meter: CMD
• Key: G Major or modal
• Copyright: Public Domain