Scripture Verse

The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Revelation 21:23

Introduction

portrait
Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856–1922)

Words: John­son Oat­man, Jr., in The Best Gos­pel Songs and Their Com­pos­ers (Dal­ton, Geor­gia: An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter, 1904), num­ber 124.

Music: Frank B. Smith (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Oat­man,

portrait
Frank B. Smith (1882–1968)

Lyrics

Though the shadows ga­ther
O’er our path­way here,
Though the day may not be bright and fair,
Yet the thought of Hea­ven
Brings us hope and cheer,
For the skies are al­ways bright up there.

Refrain

Oh, the skies are al­ways bright up there,
Yes, the skies are al­ways bright up there;
No storm clouds hov­er o’er
The city of our God,
For the skies are al­ways bright up there.

Night ne’er draws her cur­tains
O’er that peace­ful shore,
There ’tis light for­ev­er, ev­ery­where;
There the gloom of mid­night
We shall know no more,
For the skies are al­ways bright up there.

Refrain

So through clouds and sha­dows
We will wend our way,
Till we reach that city bright and fair;
Then we’ll rest for­ev­er
In those realms of day,
For the skies are al­ways bright up there.

Refrain