O city girt with glory!
Thou scene of quiet rest,
Where dwells the King Eternal,
Oh, beautiful and blest!
Thy streets are filled with glorious song,
The praises of a myriad throng.
With stones of polished beauty
Is reared thy structure fair;
And gems, and gold, and crystal
Are sparkling everywhere;
With pearls thy gates are glittering gay,
And golden is thy bright highway.
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For ever, and in sweetness
Are Alleluias given;
Unending is the feast day,
The royal feast of heaven;
Whate'er within thy walls is stored,
Is pure and holy to the Lord.
No clouds with sombre curtain
Thy glorious brightness screen;
There shines the Sun eternal,
And aye at noonday seen;
There is no night to give repose,
For no one toil or trouble knows.
The vernal glow of spring-time
Is rich and lasting there;
The wealth of summer's beauty
Is scattered everywhere;
And that fair realm can never know
The autumn's blast, or winter's snow.
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The notes that fall in sweetness,
Where birds in woodland sing;
The sounds of softest music,
That winds in summer bring,
Are wafted o'er that city bright,
In strains of unalloyed delight.
There youth adorned with vigour
Ne'er into age declines;
No aged fears the mortal,
Nor for the past repines;
For past and future are unknown,
In heaven the present reigns alone.
No fleshly law can triumph,
And over reason ride;
With bodies pure and stainless
The spirit shall abide;
And power of flesh, and power of will,
Shall both one common law fulfil.
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Oh, bright the heavenly glory
This fragile frame shall wear,
When health, and strength, and freedom
Shall crown with beauty rare;
And pleasure's draughts no sorrow know,
But everlasting joys bestow.
Now gladly bear the burden;
With zeal thy task maintain;
And gifts shall crown thy labour,
And all thy loss be gain;
When decked with splendour thou shalt be
Where glory shines eternally.