Oh, holy city seen of John

1.
Oh, holy city seen of John,
where Christ, the Lamb, shall reign,
within whose foursquare walls shall come
no night, nor need, nor pain,
and where the tears are wiped from eyes
that shall not weep again.

2.
Oh, shame to us who rest content
while lust and greed for gain
in street and shop and tenement
wring gold from human pain,
and bitter lips in blind despair
cry, "Christ has died in vain!"

3.
Give us, O God, the strength to build
the city that has stood
too long a dream, whose laws are love,
whose ways are servanthood,
and where the sun bright shining is
your grace for human good.

4.
Already in the mind of God
that city rises fair.  
Lo, how its splendor challenges
the souls that greatly dare,
yea, bids us seize the whole of life
and build its glory there.

Words:  Walter R. Bowie, 1909, Hymns of the Kingdom of God, 1910
   Tune:  anonymous, 1811 or 1812, Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, 1813
                    Arrangement copyright © 1992 The Hymnal Project

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