King of the City Splendid

Above:  The New Jerusalem and the River of Life

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1897) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935)

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King of the City Splendid,

Eternal in the height,

May all our country’s cities

Grow holy in Thy sight;

Cleansed from the deeds of darkness–

Cities of light.

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Teach love to gladden children

That know not childhood’s mirth,

Wronged of their rights–no beauty

In their scant reach of earth;

To hope’s large sunshine give them

A second birth.

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Give joy to all the joyless,

Song’s voice to sorrow’s dumb,

May light invade with blessing

Each dark and deathly slum;

Into earth’s realms of horror

Thy kingdom come!

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Soon may our country’s cities

Thy robe of glory wear;

Each place of toil a temple,

Each house a home of prayer;

Each city’s name of beauty–

The Lord is there!

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