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.

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!