Aspirations for Heaven

845 "To be with Christ is far better."

1 OH, how I long to reach ray home, My glorious home in heaven! And wish the joyful hour were come, The welcome mandate given!

2 Oh, how I long to lay aside These worn-out weeds of clay;

And, led by my celestial Guide, T' explore yon azure way!

3 Oh, how I long to be with Christ, Where all His glory beams! To be from this dark world dismiss'd, Which His dear name blasphemes!

4 Oh, how I long that world to hall, Where sin can ne'er defile! Where not a cloud shall ever veil From me my Saviour's smile!

5 Oh, how I long to join the choir Who worship at His feet!

Lord, grant me soon my heart's desire!

Soon, soon Thy work complete!

Charlotte Elliot, 1834.

846 "For ever with the Lord."

1 "FOR ever with the Lord!"

Amen! so let it be!

Life from the dead is in that word, 'Tis immortality!

2 Here in the body pent, Absent from Him I roam, Yet nightly pitch my moving tent A day's march nearer home.

3 My Father's house on high, Home of my soul! how near, At times, to faith's foreseeing eye, Thy golden gates appear!

4 Ah! then my spirit faints To reach the land I love, The bright inheritance of saints, Jerusalem above!

5 "For ever with the Lord!"

Father, if tis Thy will, The promise of that faithful word, Even here to me fulfill.

6 Be Thou at my right hand, Then can I never fail, Uphold Thou me, and I shall stand, Fight, and I must prevail.

7 So when my latest breath Shall rend the veil in twain, By death I shall escape from death, And life eternal gain.

8 Knowing as I am known, How shall I love that word, And oft repeat before the throne, "For ever with the Lord!"

9 Then, though the soul enjoy Communion high and sweet, While worms this body must destroy, Both shall in glory meet.

10 That resurrection word, That shout of victory, Once more, "For ever with the Lord!"

Amen—so let it be!

James Montgomery, 1835

847 Let me be with Thee

1 LET me bo with Thee where Thou art, My Saviour, my eternal rest!

Then only will this longing heart Be fully and for ever blest.

2 Let me be with Thee where Thou art, Thy unveil'd glory to behold;

Then only will this wandering heart Cease to be faithless, treacherous, cold.

3 Let me be with Thee, where Thou art, Where spotless saints Thy name adore;

Then only will this sinful heart Be evil and denied no more.

4 Let me be with Thee, where Thou art, Where none can die, where none remove; Where life nor death my soul can part, From Thy blest presence and Thy love.

Charlotte Elliott, 1836.

848 The Pilgrim's Song

1 MY rest is in heaven, my rest is not here, Then why should I tremble when trials are near? Be hush'd my dark spirit, the worst that can come But shortens thy journey, and hastens thee home.

2 It is not for me to be seeking my bliss, Or building my hopes in a region like this;

I look for a city that hands have not piled, I pant for a country by sin undefiled.

3 Afflictions may press me, they cannot destroy, One glimpse of His love turns them all into joy; And the bitterest tears, if He smile but on them, Like dew in the sunshine, grow diamond and gem.

4 Let doubt, then, and danger my progress oppose, They only make heaven more sweet at the close:

Come joy or come sorrow, whate'er may befall, An hour with my God will make up for them all.

6 A scrip on my back, and & staff in my hand, I march on in haste through an enemy's land; The road may be rough, but it cannot be long, And I'll smooth it with hope, and cheer it with song.

Henry Francis Lyte, 1834.

849 "This is not your Rest."

1 THIS is not my place of resting, Mine's a city yet to come;

Onward to it I am hasting— On to my eternal home.

2 In it all is light and glory;

O'er it shines a nightless day:

Every trace of sin's sad story, All the curse, hath pass'd away.

3 There the Lamb, our Shepherd leads us, By the streams of life along, On the freshest pastures feeds us, Turns our sighing into song.

4 Soon we pass this desert dreary, Soon we bid farewell to pain:

Never more arc sad or weary, Never, never sin again!

Horatius Bonar, 1856

850

Rising to God

1 NOW let our souls on wings sublime Rise from the vanities of time, Draw back the parting veil, and see The glories of eternity.

2 Twice born by a celestial birth, Why should we grovel here on earth?

Why grasp at transitory toys, So near to heaven's eternal joys?

3 Shall aught beguile us on the road, When we are travelling back to God? For strangers into life we come, And dying is but going home.

4 Welcome, sweet hour of full discharge, That sets my longing soul at large, Unbinds my chains, breaks up my cell, And gives me with my God to dwell.

5 To dwell with God, to feel His love, Is the full heaven enjoy'd above; And the sweet expectation now Is the young dawn of heaven below.

Thomas Gibbons, 1762.

851 "Present with the Lord."

1 THERE is a house not made with hands, Eternal and on high, And here my spirit waiting stands Till God shall bid it fly.

2 Shortly this prison of my clay Must be dissolved and fall:

Then, O my soul! with joy obey Thy heavenly Father's call.

3 'Tis He, by His almighty grace, That forms thee fit for heaven, And, as an earnest of the place, Has His own Spirit given.

4 We walk by faith of joys to come, Faith lives upon His word: But while the body is our home, We're absent from the Lord.

5 'Tis pleasant to believe Thy grace, But we had rather see;

We would be absent from the flesh, And present, Lord, with Thee.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

852 The Church Triumphant

1 GIVE me the wings of faith to rise Within the veil, and see The saints above, how great their joys, How bright their glories be.

2 Once they were mourning here below, And wet their couch with tears;

They wrestled hard, as we do now, With sins, and doubts, and fears.

3 I ask them whence their victory came?

They, with united breath, Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb, Their triumph to His death.

4 They mark'd the footsteps that He trod, His zeal inspired their breast, And, following their incarnate God, Possess the promised rest.

5 Our glorious Leader claims our praise For His own pattern given, While the long cloud of witnesses Show the same path to heaven.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

853 Longing to worship in Heaven

1 FATHER, I long. I faint to see The place of Thine abode;

I'd leave Thy earthly courts, and flee Up to Thy seat, my God!

2 Here I behold Thy distant face, And 'tis a pleasing sight; But to abide in Thine embrace Is infinite delight.

3 I'd part with all the joys of sense To gaze upon Thy throne:

Pleasures spring fresh for ever thence, Unspeakable, unknown.

4 There all the heavenly hosts are seen, In shining ranks they move: And drink immortal vigour in, With wonder and with love.

5 Then at Thy feet with awful fear The adoring armies fall; With joy they shrink to nothing there, Before th' Eternal ALL.

6 There I would vie with all the host In duty and in bliss;

While less than nothing, I could boast, And vanity confess.

7 The more Thy glories strike mine eyes, The humbler I shall lie;

Thus, while I sink, my joys shall rise Immeasurably high.

Isaac Watts, 1709

854 "For here have toe no continuing City."

1 WE'VE no abiding city here; This may distress the worldling's mind, But should not cost the saint a tear, Who hopes a better rest to find.

2 We've no abiding city here;

Sad truth, were this to be our home; But let this thought our spirits cheer, We seek a city yet to come.

3 We've no abiding city here;

Then let us live as pilgrims do:

Let not the world our rest appear, But let us haste from all below.

4 We've no abiding city here;

We seek a city out of sight:

Zion its name—the Lord is there;

It shines with everlasting light.

5 O sweet abode of peace and love, Where pilgrims freed from toil are blest! Had I the pinions of the dove, I'd fly to thee, and be at rest.

6 But hush, my soul, nor dare repine! The time my God appoints is best:

While here, to do His will be mine: And His to fix my time of rest.

Thomas Kelly, 1804

855 The Sight of God and Christ in Heaven

1 DESCEND from heaven, Immortal Dove, Stoop down and take us on Thy wings, And mount and bear us far above The reach of these inferior things!

2 Beyond, beyond this lower sky, Up where eternal ages roll, Where solid pleasures never die, And fruits immortal feast the soul!

3 Oh for a sight, a pleasing sight, Of our Almighty Fathers throne!

There sits our Saviour crown'd with light, Clothed in a body like our own.

Adoring saints around Him stand, And thrones and powers before Him fall; The God shines gracious through the Man, And sheds sweet glories on them all.

Oh what amazing joys they feel While to their golden harps they sing, And sit on every heavenly hill, And spread the triumphs of their King! When shall the day, dear Lord, appear, That I shall mount to dwell above, And stand and bow amongst them there, And view Thy face, and sing, and love?

Isaac Watts, 1709

856 The Soul's Flight

1 WHAT is life? 'tis but a vapour, Soon it vanishes away;

Life is like a dying taper:

O my soul, why wish to stay?

Why not spread thy wings and fly Straight to yonder world of joy?

2 See that glory, how resplendent!

Brighter far than fancy paints;

There in majesty transcendent, Jesus reigns, the Ring of Saints.

Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly Straight to yonder world of joy.

3 Joyful crowds His throne surrounding, Sing with rapture of His love;

Through the heavens His praises sounding, Filling all the courts above, Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly Straight to yonder world of joy.

4 Go and share His people's glory;

'Midst the ransom'd crowd appear;

Thine a joyful wondrous story, One that angels love to hear.

Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly Straight to yonder world of joy.

Thomas Kelly, 1809.

857 "I have fought a good Fight."

1 WITH heavenly weapons I have fought The battles of the Lord:

Finish'd my course, and kept the faith, And wait the sure reward.

2 God hath laid up in heaven for me A crown which cannot fade; The righteous Judge at that great day Shall place it an my head.

3 Nor hath the King of grace decreed This prize for me alone: But all that love, and long to see The appearance of His Son.

4 Jesus, the Lord, shall guard me safe From every ill design; And to His heavenly kingdom keep This feeble soul of mine.

5 God is my everlasting aid, And hell shall rage in vain; To Him be highest glory paid, And endless praise—Amen.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

858 Hopes of Heaven our Support

1 WHEN I can read my title clear To mansions in the skies, I bid farewell to every fear, And wipe my weeping eyes.

2 Should earth against my soul engage, And hellish darts be hurl'd, Then I can smile at Satan's rage, And face a frowning world.

3 Let cares like a wild deluge come, And storms of sorrow fall, May I but safely reach my home, My God, my heaven, my all!

4 There shall I bathe my weary soul In seas of heavenly rest, And not a wave of trouble roll Across my peaceful breast.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

859 "The whole Family in Heaven and Earth."

1 COME, let us join our friends above Who have obtain'd the prize, And on the eagle wings of love To joy celestial rise.

2 Let all the saints terrestrial sing With those to glory gone; For all the servants of our King, In earth and heaven, are one.

3 One family we dwell in Him, One church above, beneath, Though now divided by the stream, The narrow stream of death.

4 One army of the living God, To His command we bow;

Part of His host have cross'd the flood, And part are crossing now.

5 What numbers to their endless home This solemn moment fly; And we are to the margin come, And we expect to die:

6 E'en now by faith we join our hands With those that went before; And greet the blood-besprinkled bands On the eternal shore.

7 Oh that we now might grasp our Guide!

Oh that the word were given!

Come, Lord of hosts, the waves divide, And land us all in heaven!

Charles Wesley, 1759.

860 The Christian's Journey

1 FROM Egypt lately come, Where death and darkness reign, We seek our new, our better home, Where we our rest shall gain.

Hallelujah!

We are on our way to God.

2 To Canaan's sacred bound, We haste with songs of joy; Where peace and liberty are found, And sweets that never cloy.

Hallelujah, &c.

3 Our toils and conflicts cease On Canaan's happy shore;

We there shall dwell in endless peace, And never hunger more.

Hallelujah, &c.

4 But hark! those distant sounds That strike our listening ears;

They come from Canaan's happy bounds Where God our King appears.

Hallelujah, &c.

5 There, in celestial strains, Enraptured myriads sing:

There love in every bosom reigns, For God Himself is King.

Hallelujah, &c.

6 We soon shall join the throng, Their pleasures we shall share; And sing the everlasting song, With all the ransom'd there.

Hallelujah, &c.

7 How sweet the prospect is!

It cheers the pilgrim's breast;

We're journeying through the wilderness, But soon shall gain our rest.

Hallelujah, &c.

Thomas Kelly, 1812