1 Thou art gone up on high,
to mansions in the skies;
and round thy throne unceasingly
the songs of praise arise;
but we are lingering here,
with sin and care oppressed;
Lord, send thy promised Comforter,
and lead us to thy rest.
2 Thou art gone up on high;
but thou didst first come down,
through earth’s most bitter misery
to pass unto thy crown;
and girt with griefs and fears
our onward course must be;
but only let this path of tears
lead us at last to thee.
3 Thou art gone up on high;
but thou shalt come again,
with all the bright ones of the sky
attendant in thy train.
Lord, by thy saving power
so make us live and die,
that we may stand in that dread hour
at thy right hand on high.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #198
First Line: | Thou art gone up on high To mansions in the skies |
Title: | Thou Art Gone Up On High |
Author: | Emma Leslie Toke (1851) |
Meter: | 6.6.8.6 D |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |
Thou art [hast] gone up on high, To mansions, &c. Emma Toke, née Leslie. [Ascension.] Written in 1851, and contributed anonymously to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Hymns for Public Worship, 1852, No. 61, in 3 stanzas of 4 lines; and again in later editions of the same collection. Its use is very extensive in most English-speaking countries. The text is seldom altered, a marked instance to the contrary, however, being the Hymnary, 1872. In Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861, stanza i., 1. 2, reads "To realms"; but in the 1875 edition the original reading " To mansions" is restored.
In 1871, Mrs. Toke slightly altered the text for the Rev. R. Judd's Sunday School Liturgy & Hymn Book, No. 62 (Halifax), and wrote at the same time the following additional verse, which is given in Judd's collection as the first:—
"Thou hast gone up on high!
Triumphant o'er the grave,
And captive led captivity,
Thy ransomed ones to save.
Thou hast gone up on high!
Oh! help us to ascend,
And there with Thee continually,
In heart and spirit blend."
This stanza is practically unknown to compilers, and is not in general use.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)