Beyond the Glittering, Starry Skies

Beyond the glittering starry skies,
Far as th’eternal hills,
There, in those boundless worlds of light,
Our great Redeemer dwells.

Legions of angels strong and fair,
In countless armies shine,
At His right hand with golden harps,
To offer songs divine.

“Hail, Prince!” they cry, “for ever hail!
Whose unexampled love
Moved Thee to quit those glorious realms,
And royalties above.”

While He did condescend on earth
To suffer rude disdain,
They cast their honors at His feet,
And waited in His train.

Through all His travels here below
They did His steps attend!
Oft gazed and wondered where at last
This scene of love would end.

They saw His heart transfixed with wounds,
His crimson sweat and gore,
They saw Him break the bars of death,
Which none e’er brake before.

They brought His chariot from above,
To bear Him to His throne,
Clapped their triumphant wings and cried,
“The glorious work is done!”

Author: Anne Steele

Year: 1760

This hymn text is by the prominent 18th-century Baptist hymn-writer Anne Steele (1717–1778). It first appeared in her 1760 collection 'Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional' under the title 'The Condescension of Christ'. No significant alternate attributions exist.