866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
https://www.ccel.org/cceh/0002/000240a.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrrVeW7ZkYQ
The four stanza edition is a nice hymn, but the shortening of stanzas and the repetition of the added refrain significantly weaken the hymn’s overall message. Each of the original stanzas is intended to build on the previous one, together portraying the saints traveling to the heavenly Zion, trusting in God and rejoicing in the midst of this troubled life, refusing to let sorrow reign, refusing to doubt God. It is a great hymn! It turns the saints’ eyes to their Almighty, compassionate God, the “God that rules on high ... our Father and our love.” It looks forward to Christ’s return “with heavenly power to carry us above.” It turns the saints eyes to “the immortal state” where “we shall see his face, and never, never sin; there from the rivers of his grace, drink endless pleasures in.” Though we are presently in this vail of tears, “the thoughts of such amazing bliss, should constant joys create.” Even before we reach “the heav’nly fields” or “walk the golden street,” “the hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets.”
The hymn ends on this happy note: “Then let our songs abound, and ev’ry tear be dry; We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, to fairer worlds on high.”
The original stanzas should be sung with no refrain breaking up the flow of thought.
“This hymn is a picture of God’s people rejoicing. We don’t always feel joyful; our conditions in this world are sometimes difficult and disappointing but we don’t just wander aimlessly through life dragging our feet with uncertainty. As heirs of God’s love and grace, we can rejoice and march through life with purpose and confidence because we know where we are going. WE’RE MARCHING TO ZION, that beautiful city of God” (Ralph Peterson, Hymn Notes).
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from the place!
Religion never was designed,
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less,
To make our pleasures less.
Let those refuse to sing
That never knew our God,
But fav’rites of the heav’nly King,
But fav’rites of the heav’nly King
May speak their joys abroad,
May speak their joys abroad.
The God that rules on high,
And thunders when he please,
That rides upon the stormy sky,
That rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages the seas,
And manages the seas.
This awful God is ours,
Our Father and our love,
His Son shall come with heav’nly pow’r,
His Son shall come with heav’nly pow’r,
To carry us above,
To carry us above.
There we shall see his face,
And never, never sin;
There from the rivers of his grace,
There from the rivers of his grace
Drink endless pleasures in,
Drink endless pleasures in.
Yes, and before we rise
To that immortal state,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss
Should constant joys create,
Should constant joys create.
The men of grace have found
Glory begun below,
Celestial fruits on earthly ground,
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow,
From faith and hope may grow.
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden street,
Or walk the golden street.
Then let our songs abound,
And ev’ry tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high,
To fairer worlds on high. ick, mature and immature.
- Receive these reports by email
- www.wayoflife.org
______________________
Sharing Policy: Much of our material is available for free, such as the hundreds of articles at the Way of Life web site. Other items we sell to help fund our expensive literature and foreign church planting ministries. Way of Life's content falls into two categories: sharable and non-sharable. Things that we encourage you to share include the audio sermons, O Timothy magazine, FBIS articles, and the free eVideos and free eBooks. You are welcome to make copies of these at your own expense and share them with friends and family. You may also post parts of reports and/or entire reports to websites, blogs, etc as long as you give proper credit (citation). A link to the original report is very much appreciated as the reports are frequently updated and/or expanded. Things we do not want copied and distributed are "Store" items like the Fundamental Baptist Digital Library, print editions of our books, electronic editions of the books that we sell, the videos that we sell, etc. The items have taken years to produce at enormous expense in time and money, and we use the income from sales to help fund the ministry. We trust that your Christian honesty will preserve the integrity of this policy. "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Timothy 5:18). Questions? support@wayoflife.org
Goal:Distributed by Way of Life Literature Inc., the Fundamental Baptist Information Service is an e-mail posting for Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. Our primary goal with the FBIS is to provide material to assist preachers in the edification and protection of the churches.
Offering: Offerings are welcome if you care to make one. If you have been helped and/or blessed by our material offerings can be mailed or made online with with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Paypal. For information see: www.wayoflife.org/about/makeanoffering.html.
