223 XI.
The new Heavens and new Earth.
8,6,8,6
Herzlich thut mich erfreuen
J. Walther. 1557.
Now fain my joyous heart would sing That lovely summer-time, When God reneweth everything In His celestial prime; When He shall make new heavens and earth, And all the creatures there Shall spring from out that second birth All-glorious, pure, and fair. | The perfect beauty of that sphere No mortal tongue may speak, We have no likeness for it here, Our words are far too weak; And we must wait till we behold The hour of judgment true, That to the soul shall all unfold What God is, and can do. | For God ere long will summon all Who once on earth were born, This flesh shall hear the trumpet's call And live again that morn, And when in Christ His Son we wake, These skies asunder roll, And all the bliss of heaven shall break Upon the raptured soul. | 224 And He will lead the white-robed throng To His fair Paradise, Where from the marriage-feast the song Of endless praise shall rise, And from His fathomless abyss Of perfect love and truth, Shall flow perpetual joy and bliss, In never-ending youth. | Ah God, now lead me of Thy love Through this dark world aright; Lord Christ defend me lest I rove, Or lies delude my sight; And keep me steadfast in the faith Till these dark days have ceased, And ready still in life or death For Thy great marriage-feast. | And herewith will I end the song Of that fair summer-time; The blossoms shall burst out ere long Of heaven's eternal prime, The year begin, for ever new; God grant us then on high To see our vision here made true, And eat the fruits of joy! | |