I Sojourn in a Vale of Tears

I so­journ in a vale of tears

Alas

how can I sing?

My harp doth on the wil­lows hang

Distuned in ev­ery string.

My mu­sic is a cap­tive’s chain

Harsh sounds my ears do fill;

How shall I sing sweet Sion’s song

On this side Si­on’s hill?

Yet lo! I hear a joy­ful sound

Surely I quick­ly come;

Each word much swee­tness doth dis­till

Like swell­ing ho­ney­comb.

And dost Thou come

my dear­est Lord?

And dost Thou sure­ly come?

And dost Thou sure­ly

quick­ly come?

Methinks I am at home.

Come then

my dear­est

dear­est Lord

My sweet­est

tru­est friend;

Come

for I loathe these Ke­dar tents

Thy fie­ry char­iots send.

What have I here? My thoughts and joys

Are all packed up and gone;

My ea­ger soul would fol­low them

To Thine eter­nal throne.

What have I in this bar­ren land?

My Je­sus is not here;

Mine eyes will ne’er be blest un­til

My Je­sus doth ap­pear.

My Je­sus is gone up to Heav’n

To make a place for me;

For ’tis His will that where He is

There should His serv­ants be.

I Ca­naan view from Pis­gah’s top

Of Ca­naan’s grapes I taste;

My Lord

who sends un­to me here

Will send for me at last.

I have a God who chang­eth not

Why should I be per­plexed?

The God who owns me in this world

Will own me in the next.

Go fearl­ess then

my soul

with God

Into ano­ther room;

Thou who hast walk­èd with Him here

Go see thy God at home.

View death with a be­liev­ing eye

It hath an an­gel’s face;

And this kind an­gel will es­cort

Thee to an an­gel’s place.

The grave is but a cru­ci­ble

Unto be­liev­ing eyes;

For there the flesh shall lose its dross

And like the sun shall rise.

The world

which I have known too well

Hath mocked me with its lies;

How glad­ly would I leave be­hind

Its vex­ing va­ni­ties!

My dear­est friends now dwell above

Them will I go to see;

And all my friends in Christ be­low

Will soon come af­ter me.

Fear not the trump’s earth-rend­ing sound;

Dread not the Day of Doom

For He that is to be thy judge

Thy Sav­ior is become.

Blest be my God that gives me light

Who in the dark did grope;

Blest be my God

the God of love

Who cause­th me to hope.

Here is Word’s sig­net

com­fort’s staff

And here is grace’s chain;

By these Thy pledg­es

Lord

I know

My hopes are not in vain.