Not of Terrestrial Mortal Themes

Not of ter­res­tri­al mor­tal themes

Not of the world’s de­lus­ive dreams

My soul at­tempts to sing;

But of that theme di­vine­ly true

Ever de­light­ful

ev­er new—

My Je­sus and my king.

Oh could I speak the match­less worth

Oh could I sound the glo­ries forth

Which in my Sav­ior shine!

I’d soar

and touch the heav­en­ly strings

And vie with Ga­bri­el while he sings

In notes al­most di­vine.

Upon the theme I’d ev­er dwell

And in trans­port­ing rap­tures tell

What I in Je­sus see;

I’d sing with more than mor­tal voice

And lose my life amidst the joys

Of what He is to me.

Prostrate be­fore His throne I’d fall

And bless His ho­ly name for all

The rich­es of His grace.

I’d sing how glo­ri­ous power sub­dued

I’d sing how sov­er­eign love re­newed

The vil­est of the race.

I’d sing the pre­cious blood He spilt

My ran­som from the dread­ful guilt

Of sin

and wrath di­vine;

I’d sing His glo­ri­ous right­eous­ness

In which all-per­fect

heav­en­ly dress

My soul shall ev­er shine.

I’d sing the cha­rac­ters He bears

And all the forms of love He wears

Exalted on His throne;

In lof­ti­est songs of sweet­est praise

I would to ev­er­last­ing days

Make all His glo­ries known.

But ah! I’m still in clay con­fined

And mor­tal pas­sions clog my mind

And down­ward drag me still;

O when shall I at­tain the skies

And to im­mor­tal glo­ries rise

On Zion’s heav­en­ly hill?

Well

the de­light­ful day will come

When He

dear Lord! will bring me home

And I shall see His face;

Then with my Sav­ior

bro­ther

friend

A blest eter­ni­ty I’ll spend

Triumphant in His grace.