The Prospect Joyous

Representative Text

1 And let this feeble body fail,
And let it faint or die;
My soul shall quit the mournful vale
And soar to worlds on high:
Shall join the disembodied saints
And find its long-sought rest,
That only bliss for which it pants,
In my Redeemer's breast.

2 In hope of that immortal crown
I now the cross sustain,
And gladly wander up and down,
And smile at toil and pain:
I suffer on my threescore years
Till my Deliverer come,
And wipe away His servant's tears,
And take His exile home.

3 O what hath Jesus bought for me!
Before my ravished eyes
Rivers of life divine I see,
And trees of paradise!
I see a world of spirits bright
Who reap the pleasures there;
They all are robed in spotless white,
And conquering palms they bear.

4 O what are all my sufferings here,
If, Lord, thou count me meet
With that enraptured host t'appear,
And worship at Thy feet!
Give joy or grief, give ease or pain,
Take life or friends away,
But let me find them all again
In that eternal day.

Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #521

Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: And let this feeble body fail
Title: The Prospect Joyous
Author: Charles Wesley
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

And let this feeble body fail. C. Wesley. [Burial.] From his Funeral Hymns, 1759 (2nd Series), No. iii., in 9 stanzas of 8 lines. In 1830, 7 stanzas were included in the Supplement to the Wesleyan Hymn Book as hymn 734, and as hymn 948 are retained in the revised edition, 1875. Original text, Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. vi. p. 218. In America it is used somewhat extensively, and by various denominations.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #80
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Harmonia Americana: containing a concise introduction to the grounds of music; with a variety of airs, suitable fore divine worship and the use of musical societies; consisting of three and four parts #38
  • PDF (PDF)
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Instances

Instances (1 - 4 of 4)
TextScore

The Cyber Hymnal #80

The Sacred Harp #103

The Sacred Harp #103

The Sacred Harp #146

Include 345 pre-1979 instances
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