Jerusalem, my happy home

The Heavenly Jerusalem. Rev. 21 and 22

JERUSALEM, my happy home,
Name ever dear to me !
When shall my labors have an end,
In joy and peace, and thee ?

2 When shall these eyes thy heaven-built walls
And pearly gates behold ?
Thy bulwarks with salvation strong,
And streets of shining gold ?

3 There happier bowers than Eden's bloom,
Nor sin nor sorrow know : Blest seats!
through rude and stormy scenes I onward press to you.

4 Why should I shrink at pain and woe,
Or feel at death dismay ?
I've Canaan's goodly land in view.
And realms of endless day.

5 Apostles, martyrs, prophets, there
Around my Saviour stand;
And soon my friends in Christ below
Will join the glorious band.

6 Jerusalem, my happy home !
My soul still pants for thee :
Then shall my labors have an end,
When I thy joys shall see.

At the British Museum in London there is a manuscript book as old as Queen Elizabeth's time, which contains a copy of a hymn beginning like this one, and it bears the title " A Song Mad[e] by F: B: P. To the tune of Diana." Some one took the words and thoughts of a few verses out of the old hymn, and made them over into this hymn, which was printed about 1796 in a little hymn-book for the use of Eckington Church in England. James Montgomery, the poet, edited the little hymn-book, and very likely it was he who re-wrote the hymn.