Hymn: O haste away, my brethren dear

O haste away, my brethren dear,
And come to Canaan’s shore,
We’ll meet and sing forever there,
When all our toils are o’er.

How sweet to hear the hallowed theme
That saints shall ever sing,
To hear their voices all proclaim,
Salvation to the King.

Around His throne, all clothed in white,
Will all his saints appear;
And shining in His glory bright,
Will see our Saviour there.

Through heaven the shouts of angels ring,
When sons to God are born;
O what a company will sing
On the millennial morn!

Through one eternal day we’ll sing,
And bless His sacred name,
With hallelujah to the King;
And “Worthy is the Lamb.”

Unknown

This hymn is from J. C. Ryle’s little book Spiritual Songs, published in 1849, when he was rector of Helmingham, Suffolk. The hymns Ryle selected were not found in the most common hymnbooks of the day.

Suggested tune: Azmon (“O for a thousand tongues to sing”). The refrain has been omitted here because of its irregular meter.

Download a .pdf file of the hymnal.