Murmuring softly, caroling gently,
Music enchanting cometh to me;
Over the waters, beautiful waters,
Where in the homeland soon I shall be.
How like a vision tenderly stealing,
Over my spirit, weary, oppressed;
Drawing me upward, urging me forward,
Telling of sunshine, rapture and rest.

Refrain

Murmuring softly, caroling gently,
Music enchanting cometh to me;
Over the waters, beautiful waters,
Where in the homeland soon I shall be.

Silently musing, blissfully gazing
Into the future teeming with light,
Sweetly the echoes floating around me,
Whisper of Eden, lovely and bright.
Eden, where summer, fadeless, eternal,
Scatters its roses, blooming for aye;
There is no parting, there is no weeping,
Sorrow and sighing vanish away.

Refrain

There our Redeemer, loving Redeemer,
Gathers the faithful safe on His breast,
Out of the changing into the changeless,
Out of the toiling into the rest.
Welcome the moment when to His presence,
Joyful my spirit flies like a bird;
O what a morrow, O what a meeting,
Eye hath not seen it, ear hath not heard.

Refrain

By and by we shall know Jesus, by and by, oh, by and by;
Even now He looks and sees us, journeying toward His home on high.
And He smiles upon us, saying, “By and by, oh, by and by,
Cares and trials you’ll be laying with your earthly garments by.”

Refrain

Oh by and by, oh sing it softly,
Thinking not of earthly care,
But the by and by of heaven
Waiting for us over there.

By and by we shall be standing, by and by, oh, by and by,
At fair heaven’s shining landing, while the river murmurs by,
And our friends will round us gather, by and by, oh, by and by,
Saying “Welcome, for the Father loves to have His children nigh.”

Refrain

By and by! we say it gently, looking on our peaceful dead,
And we do not think of earth life, but of heaven’s sweet life instead.
By and by we all shall gather, by and by, oh, by and by,
In the life of God our Father that shall know no by and by.

Refrain

Clear as crystal flows the river
From the throne of God above;
’Tis the water pure, of eternal life,
From the Fount of endless love.

Refrain

Clear as crystal, clear as crystal
May Thy truth forever be;
Clear as crystal, clear as crystal
In our hearts, O Lord, from Thee.

Clear as crystal, like a jasper,
Is the heav’nly city’s light,
As the wall appears, and the pearly gates—
To the pilgrim’s ravished sight.

Refrain

Clear as crystal, like the wondrous
Sea of glass before the throne,
Where the joyful cry rises day and night
To the glorious Three in One.

Refrain

Fresh from the throne of glory,
Bright in its crystal gleam,
Bursts out the living fountain,
Swells on the living stream;
Blessèd river, let me ever
Feast my eyes on thee;
Blessèd river, let me ever
Feast my eyes on thee.

Stream full of life and gladness,
Spring of all health and peace,
No harps by thee hang silent,
Nor happy voices cease;
Tranquil river, let me ever
Sit and sing by thee;
Tranquil river, let me ever
Sit and sing by thee.

River of God, I greet thee,
Not now afar, but near,
My soul to Thy still water
Hastes in its thirstings here;
Holy river, let me ever
Drink of only thee;
Holy river, let me ever
Drink of only thee.

A living stream, as crystal clear,
Welling from out the throne,
Of God and of the Lamb on high,
The Lord to man hath shown.

This stream doth water Paradise,
It makes the angels sing:
One precious drop within the heart
Is of all joy the spring:

Joy past all speech, of glory full,
But stored where none may know,
As manna hid in dewy heaven,
As pearls in ocean low.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
Nor to man’s heart hath come
What for those loving Thee in truth
Thou hast in love’s own home.

But by His Spirit He to us
The secret doth reveal:
Faith sees and hears: but O for wings
That we might taste, and feel;

Wings like a dove to waft us on
High o’er the flood of sin!
Lord of the Ark, put forth Thine hand,
And take Thy wanderers in.

O praise the Father, praise the Son,
The Lamb for sinners given,
And Holy Ghost, through Whom alone
Our hearts are raised to Heav’n.

I’ve cast my heavy burdens down on Canaan’s happy shore,
I’m living where the healing waters flow;
I’ll wander in the wilderness of doubt and sin no more;
I’m living where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

Living on the shore, I’m living on the shore,
I’m living where the healing waters flow;
Living on the shore, I’m living on the shore,
I’m living where the healing waters flow.

With Israel’s trusting children I’m rejoicing on my way,
I’m living where the healing waters flow;
The cloudy fiery pillar is my guiding light today;
I’m living where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

My hung’ring soul is satisfied with manna from above,
I’m living where the healing waters flow;
No more I thirst, the rock I’ve found, that fount of endless love;
I’m living where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

I’m singing “Hallelujah,” safely anchored in my soul,
I’m living where the healing waters flow;
I’m resting on His promises; the blood has made me whole;
I’m living where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Refrain

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

Refrain

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

Refrain

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Refrain

O have you not heard of that beautiful stream
That flows through our Father’s land?
Its waters gleam bright in the heavenly light,
And ripple o’er golden sand.

Refrain

O seek that beautiful stream,
O seek that beautiful stream;
Its waters, so free, are flowing for thee,
O seek that beautiful stream.

Its fountains are deep and its waters are pure;
And sweet to the weary soul;
It flows from the throne of Jehovah alone!
O come where its bright waves roll.

Refrain

This beautiful stream is the river of life!
It flows for all nations free!
A balm for each wound in its water is found;
O sinner, it flows for thee!

Refrain

O will you not drink of this beautiful stream,
And dwell on its peaceful shore?
The Spirit says, “Come, all ye weary ones, home,
And wander in sin no more.”

Refrain

On let us go where the valley of Eden fair
Blooms on the bank of the river;
On where the fields, in the beautiful robe they wear,
Wave in the sunlight forever.

Refrain

On let us go, on let us go, on let us go,
On where the happy ones are calling.

On let us go where the beautiful realms above
Ring with the time honored story;
Saved through the might of a blessèd Redeemer’s love,
His be the praise and the glory.

Refrain

On let us go where the weary and toil oppressed
Soon shall forget every sorrow;
On where the soul to a happy and golden rest
Wakes in eternity’s morrow.

Refrain

On let us go where the loving and loved shall meet,
Meet on the bank of the river;
There shall they sing at the blessèd Redeemer’s feet
Songs that shall echo forever.

Refrain

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Refrain

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will talk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day.

Refrain

Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we every burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown.

Refrain

At the smiling of the river,
Mirror of the Savior’s face,
Saints, whom death will never sever,
Lift their songs of saving grace.

Refrain

Soon we’ll reach the silver river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.

Refrain

There is a pure and tranquil wave,
[or There is a pure and peaceful wave]
That issues from the throne of grace;
Whose waters gladden as they lave
The bright and heav’nly dwelling place.

In living streams behold that tide,
Thro’ Christ, the Rock, profusely burst,
And in His Word behold supplied,
The fount for which our spirits thirst.

The pilgrim, faint, who seems to sink
Beneath the sultry sky of time,
May here repose and freely drink
The waters of that better clime.

And every soul may here partake
The blessings of the fount above;
And none who drink will e’er forsake
The crystal stream of boundless love.

Those eternal bowers, man hath never trod,
Those unfading flowers round the throne of God:
Who may hope to gain them after weary fight?
Who at length attain them, clad in robes of white?

He who wakes from slumber at the Spirit’s voice,
Daring here to number things unseen his choice:
He whose one oblation is a life of love,
Knit in God’s salvation to the blest above.

Shame upon you, legions of the heav’nly King,
Citizens of regions past imagining!
What! with pipe and tabor dream away the light,
When He bids you labor, when He tells you, “Fight”?

Jesus, Lord of glory, as we breast the tide,
Whisper Thou the story of the other side;
Where the saints are casting crowns before Thy feet,
Safe for everlasting, in Thyself complete.