"Jerusalem, Thou City Fair and High"
                        by Johann M. Meyfart, 1590-1642
                 Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878
                                  Text From:
                              THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
                 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)



        1. Jerusalem, thou city fair and high,
        Would God I were in thee!
        My longing heart fain, fain to thee would fly,
        It will not stay with me.
        Far over vale and mountain,
        Far over field and plain,
        It hastes to seek its Fountain
        And leave this world of pain.

        2. O happy day and yet far happier hour,
        When wilt thou come at last,
        When fearless to my Father's love and pow'r,
        Whose promise standeth fast,
        My soul I gladly render?
        For surely will His hand
        Lead her with guidance tender
        To heav'n, her fatherland.

        3. A moment's space, and gently, wondrously,
        Released from earthly ties,
        Elijah's chariot bears her up to thee,
        Thro' all these lower skies
        To yonder shining regions,
        While down to meet her come
        The blessed angel legions
        And bid her welcome home.

        4. O Zion, hail! Bright city, now unfold
        The gates of grace to me.
        How many a time I longed for thee of old
        Ere yet I was set free
        From yon dark life of sadness,
        Yon world of shadowy naught,
        And God had given the gladness,
        The heritage, I sought.

        5. What glorious throng and what resplendent host
        Comes sweeping swiftly down?
        The chosen ones on earth who wrought the most,
        The Church's brightest crown,
        Our Lord hath set to meet me,
        As in the far-off years
        Their words oft came to greet me
        In yonder land of tears.

        6. The partiarchs' and prophets' noble train,
        With all Christ's followers true,
        Who bore the cross and could the worst disdain
        That tyrants dared to do,
        I see them shine forever,
        All-glorious as the sun,
        Mid light that fadeth never,
        Their perfect freedom won.

        7. And when within that lovely Paradise
        At last I safely dwell,
        What songs of bliss shall from my lips arise,
        What joy my tongue shall tell,
        While all the saints are singing
        Hosannas o'er and o'er,
        Pure hallelujahs ringing
        Around me evermore!

        8. Unnumbered choirs before the shining throne
        Their joyful anthems raise
        Till heaven's glad halls are echoing with the tone
        Of that great hymn of praise
        And all its host rejoices,
        And all its blessed throng
        Unite their myriad voices
        In one eternal song.

        

        Notes:
        Hymn #619 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: Matthew 17:1-9
        Author: Johann M. Meyfart, 1626
        Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1858, alt.
        Titled: "Jerusalem, du hochgebaute Stadt"
        Composer: Melchior Franck, 1663
        Tune: "Jerusalem, du hochgebaute Stadt"