Hymn: The Sands of Time Are Sinking

I was in Washington DC for this past summer, and while I was there, I regularly attended Capitol Hill Baptist Church (“CHBC”).  I loved the fellowship, I actually found a discipler there, and the preaching was always filling to the spiritual appetite.  If anyone is ever in DC or around the area, please feel more than free to check it out.

One thing I especially loved about this church was the musical worship.  Not only were all the hymns lyrical and poetic, but they were gospel-centered and everyone always seemed to sing with the fullest of hearts.  Before this summer, I thought I knew all the great hymns; after my time at CHBC, I was introduced to some of the most beautifully written and God-honoring hymns I had not heard until I stepped into that church.*

“The Sands of Time Are Sinking” was one of those hymns.  When I first heard it, I simply wanted to hear it again.  The song spoke Biblical truths in a poetic form that rivals any verse, ballad, sonnet, or other creative composition–Christian or otherwise.

The original song was written by Anne Ross Cousin and was actually 19 verses long!  The version I heard and sang was actually only 6 verses long, but it still captured the essential message nonetheless.

Here’s a video of my favorite version of the song:

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And here’s the sheet music for the version I heard, which was written by Connie Dever: http://www.praisefactory.org/images/website%20hymns/The%20Sands%20of%20Time%20Are%20Sinking%20Hymn.pdf

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Lyrics

The Sands of Time Are Sinking:

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army, doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, deep well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow were lustered with His love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided, I’ll bless the heart that planned
When throned where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner into His “house of wine.”
I stand upon His merit—I know no other stand,
Not even where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.

And here’s a link to the full 19 verses: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/a/sandtime.htm

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There’s a lot more depth in this song than can be expounded on in one blog post, but there are a few things I really love about this song.  The song title points to the setting of this song: the end of life.  The lyrics point to a time at the very end of our lives when we will be with Christ in heaven, contrasting this with the lesser glories and riches of heaven and earth.  The lyrics express this beautifully when it says things, such as:

“O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, deep well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above: . . . “

and my favorite stanza

“The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.”

In addition, this song contrasts being with Christ forever to the ephemeral trials and tribulations of our past mortal lives:

“Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.”

“The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between: . . .”*

“With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow were lustered with His love;”

I hope you enjoy and love this song for its Biblical truths as much as I do.  As I said, it is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard; and when I first heard it, I must admit, my eyes got a little misty.  God has often used it to remind me of the evanescence of this current life, and the need to live for the eternal life to come.  May God bless you with the words of the song.

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*When I first read the phrase, “though seven deaths lay between,” I wasn’t sure what that meant.  I read a few people’s thoughts and comments on it, and after thinking about it, I think it’s a phrase to represent the perfect suffering and trials we go through before we see Christ in heaven.  ”Seven” is usually a number of fulfillment or perfection, and the word “death” can represent suffering and trials, such as “the valley of death” in Psalm 23.

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