Christ My Song - 157
A pilgrim for his new abode - Going home
(Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Going home.
1. A pilgrim for his new abode
is making preparation,
who long hath closely walked with God
in joy and tribulation.
Now faint and weary of his load,
he pants to reach the blessed abode
for which he long hath striven. –
His soul is thirsting, God, for thee;
O grant him, grant him soon to see
thy glorious face in heaven. PDF - Midi
2. Lord Jesus, through death's gloomy night
this pilgrim soon must wander;
Light of the world, be thou his light,
uphold and guide him yonder.
In life he walked with thee; in death
do thou receive his parting breath,
Sweet Rest of weary mortals;
thou wert his Help in life; be thou
his Help and Comforter e'en now,
through heaven's eternal portals.
3. O Holy Spirit, calm all fear
about his soul's salvation;
and show the pilgrim he is near
his place of habitation.
Convince him, when his sins oppress,
and fill his soul with bitterness,
that thou his sins forgivest;
and when the icy hand of death
chills every sense, and steals his breath,
"Thou diest not," say, "but livest."
4. A higher life awaits thee there
than was on earth assigned thee;
soon wilt thou leave thy load of care
and earthly grief behind thee;
soon the last conflict will be o'er,
then art thou free for evermore,
to live in light and gladness.
May God be with thee! It is done –
the morning breaks, shines forth the sun
which drives away all sadness.
5. The pulse stands still; the silver cord
which binds to earth is broken;
the words which set thee free the Lord,
O ransomed soul, hath spoken.
Thou soarest upward to the skies;
the pilgrim garb forsaken lies,
left here with us who mourn thee;
a crown of glory and a dress
of everlasting righteousness
by God's grace now adorn thee.
6. Thou hast attained the heavenly prize,
we here awhile must tarry;
the burden which beneath thee lies
we still are doomed to carry.
Yet He who helped thee to the last,
will help us too till life is past,
who have in earnest striven:
thrice happy they, when life is o'er,
who meet again to part no more,
but dwell with Thee in heaven!
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica II, 1864, 78-80.
Translated from the German Ein Pilger schickt sich an zur Fahrt - Heimgang
of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.