Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

Ten thou­sand times ten thou­sand
In spark­ling rai­ment bright,
The ar­mies of the ran­somed saints
Throng up the steeps of light;
’Tis fin­ished, all is fin­ished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling op­en wide the gold­en gates,
And let the vic­tors in.

What rush of al­le­lu­ias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ring­ing of a thou­sand harps
Bespeaks the tri­umph nigh!
O day, for which cre­ation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its for­mer woes
A thou­sand­fold re­paid!

O then what rap­tured greet­ings
On Ca­naan’s hap­py shore;
What knit­ting sev­ered friend­ships up,
Where part­ings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall spar­kle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no long­er fa­ther­less,
Nor wi­dows de­so­late.

Bring near Thy great sal­va­tion,
Thou Lamb for sin­ners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy pow­er, and reign;
Appear, De­sire of na­tions,
Thine ex­iles long for home;
Show in the heav’n Thy pro­mised sign;
Thou Prince and Sav­ior, come.

Words: Henry Alford, 1867.