City of God

Verse 1

City of God, how broad and far
Outspread thy walls sublime!
The true thy chartered freemen are
Of every age and clime.

Verse 2

One holy Church, one army strong,
One steadfast high intent,
One working band, one harvest-song,
One King Omnipotent!

Verse 3

How purely hath thy speech come down
From man’s primeval youth;
How grandly hath thine empire grown
Of freedom, love, and truth!

Verse 4

How gleam thy watchfires through the night
With never-fainting ray!
How rise thy towers, serene and bright,
To meet the dawning day!

Verse 5

In vain the surge’s angry shock,
In vain the drifting sands:
Unharmed upon the eternal Rock
The eternal city stands.

Verse 1

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for His own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou mayst smile at all thy foes.

Verse 2

See, the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal Love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint, when such a river
Ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which, like the Lord the Giver,
Never fails from age to age?

Verse 3

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a covering,
Showing that the Lord is near,
Thus deriving from their banner
Light by night, and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.

Verse 4

Saviour, if of Zion’s city
I, through grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy Name:
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.