[Music]
O when shall I see Jesus and dwell with him above,
And from the flowing fountain drink everlasting love?
When shall I be deliver'd from this vain world of sin?
And with my blessed Jesus drink endless pleasures in?
But now I am a soldier, my Captain's gone before;
He's given me my orders and bids me ne'er give o'er;
His promises are faithful--a righteous crown he'll give,
And all his valiant soldiers eternally shall live.
Through grace I am determined to conquer tho' I die,
And then away to Jesus on wings of love I'll fly.
Farewell to sin and sorrow, I bid them both adieu,
And O, my friends, prove faithful, and on your way pursue.
Whene'er you meet with troubles and trials on your way,
Then cast your cares on Jesus and don't forget to pray.
Gird on the gospel armor of faith and hope and love,
And when the combat's ended He'll carry you above.
O do not be discouraged for Jesus is your friend,
And if you lack for knowledge, he'll not refuse to lend.
Neither will he upbraid you, though often you request,
He'll give you grace to conquer and take you home to rest.
And when the last loud trumpet shall rend the vaulted skies,
And bid th' entombed millions from their cold beds arise;
Our ransomed dust, reviv-ed, bright beauties shall put on,
And soar to the blest mansions where our Redeemer's gone.
Our eyes shall then with rapture, the Savior's face behold;
Our feet, no more diverted, shall walk the streets of gold.
Our ears shall hear with transport the hosts celestial sing;
Our tongues shall chant the glories of our immortal King.
William Walker, compiler of the SOH, claims the tune. A recent variant
of it, orally transmitted, is 'O I'm So Happy', in this collection.
Another variant here is 'Stephens'. All these tunes seem to derive
from an old one recorded in Kilrush, Ireland, and found in the Petrie
collection in two variants, Nos. 167 and 283. Compare also the similar
'Hallelujah' tune family with its members listed under the tune by
that title in this collection.
The text is by John Leland and was uniquely popular--as sung in its
purity or associated with various refrains and revival
choruses--during the early part of the nineteenth century. The negroes
have borrowed freely from this poem in making the texts for their
spirituals, especially from the fourth and fifth stanzas. Cf. WS
217ff. and 286.
No. 60
GREEN FIELDS, SOH 71