Verse 1
There is an ancient River
Whose streams descend in light
From never-failing fountains
Beyond all earthly sight;
It ran through all the ages
And, wheresoe’er it flowed
Up rose the Holy City
The Lord’s elect abode
Verse 2
The River still is flowing
But now with fuller stream
And still the light is falling
But now with brighter beam
Of old the Song of Moses
Soared as it swept along
But now the Name of Jesus
Is made its sweeter Song
Verse 3
Its radiance lights us onward
Its chanting waters cheer
Blest is the eye beholding
Blest is the hearing ear
For as the earth-clouds darken
The glory clearer grows
And gladder for life’s tumult
The stream of music flows
Verse 4
God’s River! The One Spirit
Grace of the mystic Seven*
Drink, Holy Church, these waters
Thine earnest** here of Heaven
So joy and peace and pleasure
Shall feed thy life within
So power without shall guard thee
Against the world of sin
Verse 5
O Beautiful, the River!
We wait upon thy shore
In bliss of expectation
Abiding evermore
Till at some holy even
We pass upon thy breast
From foretaste unto fullness
From waiting into rest
*Rev. 1:4: “Grace be unto you … from the Seven Spirits which are before His Throne.’ The Seven Spirits represent the Holy Spirit in His Sevenfold fulness. (Wordsworth)
** Cf. Romans 8:23, 2 Cor. 5:5, Eph. 1:14