Scripture Verse

There remaineth…a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:9

Introduction

portrait
Thomas à Kempis
1379–1471

Words: From a 15th Cen­tu­ry man­u­script in Karls­ru­he, Ger­ma­ny (Quis­quis va­let num­er­a­re). At­trib­ut­ed by some to Tho­mas à Kem­pis. Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale in The Hym­nal Not­ed, 1854.

Music: Lewes John Ran­dall, cir­ca 1774 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Ran­dall (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

portrait
John M. Neale
1818–1866

Lyrics

If there be that skills to reckon
All the number of the blest,
He, perchance, can weigh the gladness
Of the everlasting rest
Which, their earthly warfare finished,
They through suffering have possessed.

Through the vale of lamentation
Happily and safely past,
Now the years of their affliction
In their memory they recast,
And the end of all perfection
They can contemplate at last.

For they see their cruel tempter
Suffering torments evermore;
To the Savior that redeemed them
Those redeemed ones praises pour;
And the Monarch that rewards them
Those rewarded saints adore.

In a glass through types and riddles
Dwelling here, we see alone;
Then serenely, purely, clearly,
We shall know as we are known,
Fixing our enlightened vision
On the glory of the throne.

There the Trinity of Persons
Unbeclouded shall we see;
There the Unity of Essence
Perfectly revealed shall be;
While we hail the Threefold Godhead
And the simple Unity.

Wherefore, man, take heart and courage,
Whatsoe’er thy present pain;
Such untold reward through suffering
Thou may’st merit to attain;
And for ever in His glory
With the Light of light to reign.

Laud and honor to the Father;
Laud and honor to the Son;
Laud and honor to the Spirit;
Ever Three, and ever One;
Consubstantial, Co-eternal,
While unending ages run.