March 20, 2011

Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face

    Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
    here would I touch and handle things unseen;
    here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
    and all my weariness upon thee lean.

    This is the hour of banquet and of song;
    this is the heavenly table spread for me;
    here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
    the hallowed hour of fellowship with thee.

    Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
    here drink with thee the royal wine of heaven;
    here would I lay aside each earthly load,
    here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

    Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear;
    the feast, though not the love, is past and gone.
    The bread and wine remove; but thou art here,
    nearer than ever, still my shield and sun.

    Feast after feast thus comes and passes by;
    yet, passing, points to the glad feast above,
    giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
    the Lamb's great bridal feast of bliss and love.


Horatius Bonar