English poem
Lo! What A Glorious Sight Appears.
by Hezekiah Butterworth (1839–1905)
The great Southampton bard who wrote "Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood" was quick to kindle at every reminder of Fruition Day.
Lo! what a glorious sight appears To our believing eyes! The earth and seas are passed away, And the old rolling skies. From the third heaven, where God resides, That holy, happy place, The New Jerusalem comes down, Adorned with shining grace.
This hymn of Watts' sings one of his most exalted visions. It has been dear for two hundred years to every Christian soul throbbing with millennial thoughts and wishful of the day when--
The God of glory down to men Removes His best abode,
--and when--
His own kind hand shall wipe the tears From every weeping eye, And pains and groans, and griefs and fears, And death itself shall die,
--and the yearning cry of the last stanza, when the vision fades, has been the household ? [A] of myriads of burdened and sorrowing saints--
How long, dear Saviour, O how long Shall this bright hour delay? Fly swifter round ye wheels of Time, And bring the welcome day!