WHAT, if we are Christ's,
Is earthly shame or loss?
Bright shall our crown of glory be,
When we have borne the cross.
2 Keen was the trial once,
Bitter the cup of woe,
When martyred saints, baptized in blood,
Christ's sufferings shared below.
Bright is their glory now,
Boundless their joy above,
Where, on the bosom of their God,
They rest in perfect love.
All that of sorrow, grief, or pain,
May be our portion here.
Enough if Thou at last
The word of blessing give;
And let us rest beneath Thy feet,
Where saints and angels live!
O! round the throne, at God's right hand,
The saints in countless myriads stand;
Of every tongue redeemed to God,
Arrayed in garments washed in blood.
2 Through tribulation great they came,
And bore the cross, and scorned the shame :
From all their labours now they rest,
In God's eternal glory blest.
3 Hunger and thirst they feel no more;
Nor sin, nor pain, nor death deplore;
The tear is wiped from every eye,
And sorrow yields to endless joy.
4 They see their Saviour face to face,
And sing the triumphs of His grace:
Him day and night they ceaseless praise,
And thus the loud Hosanna raise:
5" Worthy the Lamb, for sinners slain, Through endless years to live and reign! "Thou hast redeemed us by Thy blood, "And made us kings and priests to God!"
ROUND the throne of God a band
Of bright and glorious angels stand:
Sweet harps within their hands they hold,
And on their heads are crowns of gold.
2 Some wait around Him, ready still
To sing His praise and do His will;
And some, when He commands them, go
To guard His servants here below.
3 Lord, give Thy angels every day
Command to guide us on our way,
And bid them every evening keep
Their watch around us while we sleep.
4 So shall no wicked thing draw near,
To do us harm, or cause us fear;
And we shall dwell, when life is past,
With angels round Thy throne at last.
YE immortal throng
Of angels round the throne,
Join with our feeble song
To make the Saviour known:
On earth ye knew
His wondrous grace,
His beauteous face
In heaven ye view.
2 Ye saw the heaven-born Child
In human flesh arrayed;
Benevolent and mild,
While in the manger laid:
And praise to God,
And peace on earth,
For His dear birth,
Proclaimed aloud.
3 Ye in the wilderness
Beheld the tempter spoiled;
Well known in every dress,
In every combat foiled:
And joyed to crown
The Victor's head,
When Satan fled
Before His frown.
Around the bloody tree
Ye pressed with strong desire;
That wondrous sight to see-
The Lord of life expire;
And, could your eyes
Have known a tear,
Had dropt it there
In sad surprise.
5 Around His sacred tomb
A willing watch ye keep;
Till the blest moment come
To rouse Him from His sleep;
Then rolled the stone,
And all adored
Your rising Lord
With joy unknown.
6 When all arrayed in light
The shining Conqueror rode,
Ye hailed His rapturous flight
Up to the throne of God;
And waved around
Your golden wings,
And struck your strings
Of sweetest sound.
HEY come, God's Messengers of love, They come from realms of peace above, From homes of never-fading light, From blissful mansions ever bright.
2 They come to watch around us here,
To soothe our sorrow, calm our fear:
They come to speed us on our way;
God willeth them with us to stay.
3 But chiefly at its journey's end
'Tis theirs the spirit to befriend,
And whisper to the willing heart,
"O Christian soul, in peace depart."
4 Blest Jesus, Thou Whose groans and tears
Have sanctified frail nature's fears,
To earth in bitter sorrow weighed
Thou didst not scorn Thine angels' aid.
5 To us the zeal of angels give
With love to serve Thee, while we live :
To us an angel guard supply
When on the bed of death we lie.
6 So when the toils of earth are past,
We
may attain to bliss at last,
And with the choirs of angels sing
Glory to the eternal King.
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