Hark! A Voice divides the sky
Hark! A voice divides the sky, happy are the faithful dead!
In the Lord who sweetly die, they from all their toils are freed;
Them the Spirit hath declared blessed, unutterably blessed;
Jesus is their great reward, Jesus is their endless rest.
Followed by their works, they go where their Head has gone before;
Reconciled by grace below, grace has opened mercy�s door;
Justified through faith alone, here they knew their sins forgiven,
Here they laid their burden down, hallowed, and made fit for heaven.
Who can now lament the lot of a saint in Christ deceased?
Let the world, who know us not, call us hopeless and unblessed:
When from flesh the spirit freed hastens homeward to return,
Mortals cry, �A man is dead!� Angels sing, �A child is born!�
Born into the world above, they our happy brother greet,
Bear him to the throne of love, place him at the Savior�s feet;
Jesus smiles, and says, �Well done, good and faithful servant thou;
Enter, and receive thy crown, reign with Me triumphant now.�
Angels catch the approving sound, bow, and bless the just award;
Hail the heir with glory crowned, now rejoicing with his Lord:
Fuller joys ordained to know, waiting for the general doom,
When the archangel�s trump shall blow, �Rise, ye dead, to judgment come!�
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