Scripture Verse

God shall wipe away all tears…and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

Introduction

portrait
Horatius Bonar
1808–1889

Words: Ho­ra­ti­us Bo­nar, Hymns of Faith and Hope, sec­ond ser­ies (Lon­don: James Nis­bet, 1861), pag­es 97–99.

Music: Ac­claim, tra­di­tion­al Ger­man me­lo­dy (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Angel voices sweetly singing,
Echoes through the blue dome ringing,
News of wondrous gladness bringing;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Now, beneath us all the grieving,
All the wounded spirit’s heaving,
All the woe of hopes deceiving;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Sin for ever left behind us,
Earthly visions cease to blind us,
Fleshly fetters cease to bind us;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

On the jasper threshold standing,
Like a pilgrim safely landing,
See, the strange bright scene expanding!
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

What a city! what a glory!
Far beyond the brightest story
Of the ages old and hoary;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Softest voices, silver pealing,
Freshest fragrance, spirit healing,
Happy hymns around us stealing;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Gone the vanity and folly,
Gone the dark and melancholy,
Come the joyous and the holy;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Not a broken blossom yonder,
Not a link can snap asunder,
Stayed the tempest, sheathed the thunder;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Not a tear drop ever falleth,
Not a pleasure ever palleth,
Song to song for ever calleth;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Christ Himself the living splendor,
Christ the sunlight mild and tender;
Praises to the Lamb we render;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Now at length the veil is rended,
Now the pilgrimage is ended,
And the saints their thrones ascended;
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!

Broken death’s dread bands that bound us,
Life and victory around us;
Christ, the King, Himself hath crowned us,
Ah, ’tis Heaven at last!