Author: John Keble Meter: 6.6.8.6 D Appears in 404 hymnals Lyrics: 1 Bless'd are the pure in heart,
for they shall see our God;
the secret of the Lord is theirs;
their soul is Christ's abode.
Might mortal thought presume
to guess an angel's lay,
such are the notes that echo through
the courts of heav'n today.
2 Such the triumphal hymns
on Zion's Prince that wait,
in high procession passing on
towards his temple gate.
Give ear, ye kings; bow down,
ye rulers of the earth–
this, this is he, your priest by grace,
your God and King by birth.
3 No pomp of earthly guards
attends with sword and spear,
and all defying, dauntless, look
their monarch's way to clear:
yet are there more with him
than all that are with you–
the armies of the highest heav'n,
all righteous, good, and true.
4 But who is he, though bowed
by years, erect in heart,
whose prayers are struggling with his tears?
"Lord, let me now depart;
now hath thy servant seen
thy saving health, O Lord:
'tis time that I depart in peace,
according to thy word."
5 Yet swells the pomp: one more
comes forth to bless her God:
full four-score years, meek widow, she
her heav'nward way hath trod:
she who to earthly joys
so long had giv'n farewell,
now sees, unlooked for, heav'n on earth,
Christ in his Israel.
6 Wide open from that hour
the temple gates are set,
and still the saints rejoicing there
the holy Child have met.
Still to the lowly soul
he doth himself impart,
and for his cradle and his throne
chooseth the pure in heart.
Topics: Biblical Characters Anna; Jesus Christ Epiphany and Youth Used With Tune: FIFTH TUNE
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