THERE is a Day of rest before thee
Thou weary soul, arise and shine.
Awhile the clouds hung darkly o'er thee,
Awhile the captive's chains were thine.
Behold, the Lamb of God will lead thee
To still green pastures round the throne;
Cast off thy burden, rise and speed thee,
For soon the battle storm is done—
For soon the weary race is past,
And thou shalt rest in Love at last.
God 'stablished ere the days of Heaven
Rest, gentle rest, for evermore—
Men long have wept, and toiled, and striven,
But rest was ordered long before,
For this the Savior left the skies,
The Home beyond the thousand suns—
He stretches forth His hands and cries,
“Come, come to Me, ye weary ones!
Ye long have labored, come and rest,
Lie still beloved, on My breast.
Then come, ye sorrowful and weary.
Ye heavy laden, come to Him,
From desert places lone and dreary,
With fainting heart and aching limb;
For ye have borne the heat of day,
And now the hour of rest is come;
To you the Lord doth call and say,
“My people, I will be your Home;
Fear not for devil, world, and sin,
But saved and pardoned, enter in.”
Come in, the sheaves of glory bringing,
The seed-time of our tears is past,
More sweet than dreams of joy the singing
That fills our Father's house at last.
And grief and fear, and death and pain,
Are fled, and are forgotten things;
We see the Lamb that once was slain,
He leads us to the living springs;
Himself He wipes our tears away—
Such blessedness words cannot say.
The day of deep refreshing dawneth;
No sun lights on us, and no heat;
No longer is there one who mourneth,
And there the hearts long severed meet-
And God Himself shall be with them;
They who the weary desert trod,
Shall be a royal Diadem
For ever in the Hand of God;
All hail! thou glorious Sabbath day
When toil and strife are past away!
And peace is round us as a river,
And glory as a flowing stream;
With Christ our Lord we dwell forever,
For ever lean in love on Him.
Oh give me wings to flee away
Afar into that holy home!
Why seek we still on earth to stay?
The Spirit and the Bride say "Come!”
Arise! Salvation draweth near
The everlasting Sabbath year.
J. S. Kunth, †1700.