Sacramental Hymns: Burial of the Dead 474-481

Burial of the Dead

474

Into paradise may the angels lead you – trad latin / 1979 BCP trans

475

Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant – E. Orth Memorial Service – W Birkbeck trans

Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy saints:
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing but life everlasting.
Thou only art immortal, the creator and maker of man:
and we are mortal formed from the dust of the earth,
and unto earth shall we return:
for so thou didst ordain,
when thou created me saying:
"Dust thou art und unto dust shalt thou return."
All we go down to the dust;
and weeping o'er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

476

Christ the Victorious, give to your servants – C Daw

Christ the victorious, give to your servants
rest with your saints in the regions of light.
Grief and pain ended, and sighing no longer,
there may they find everlasting life.

Only immortal one, mighty Creator!
We are your creatures and children of earth.
From earth you formed us, both glorious and mortal,
and to the earth shall we all return.

God-spoken prophecy, word at creation:
"You came from dust and to dust shall return."
Yet at the grave shall we raise up our glad song,
"Alleluia, alleluia!"

Christ the victorious, give to your servants
rest with your saints in the regions of light.
Grief and pain ended, and sighing no longer,
there may they find everlasting life.

477

For those we love within the veil – W Piggot

For those we love within the veil,
who once were comrades of our way,
we thank thee, Lord; for they have won
to cloudless day;

And life for them is life indeed,
the splendid goal of earth's strait race;
and where no shadows intervene
they see thy face.

Not as we knew them any more,
toil-worn, and sad with burdened care:
erect, clear-eyed, upon their brows
thy Name they bear.

Free from the fret of mortal years,
and knowing now thy perfect will,
with quickened sense and heightened joy,
they serve thee still.

0 fuller, sweeter is that life,
and larger, ampler is the air:
eye cannot see nor heart conceive
the glory there;

Nor know to what high purpose thou
dost yet employ their ripened powers,
nor how at thy behest they touch
this life of ours.

There are no tears within their eyes;
with love they keep perpetual tryst;
and praise and work and rest are one
with thee, 0 Christ.

478

Jesus, Son of Mary – E Palmer

Jesus, Son of Mary, fount of life alone,
here we hail thee present on thine altar-throne.
Humbly we adore thee, Lord of endless mighty,
in the mystic symbols veiled from earthly sight.

Think, O Lord, in mercy on the souls of those
who, in faith gone from us, now in death repose.
Here 'mid stress and conflict toils can never cease;
there, the warfare ended, bid them rest in peace.

Often were they wounded in the deadly strife;
heal them, good Physician, with the balm of life.
Every taint of evil, frailty and decay,
good and gracious Savior, cleanse and purge away.

Rest eternal grant unto them, after weary fight;
shed on them the radiance of thy heavenly light.
Lead them onward, upward, to the holy place,
where thy saints made perfect gaze upon thy face.

479

Now the laborer's task is o'er – J Ellerton

Now the laborer's task is o'er;
now the battle day is past;
now upon the farther shore
lands the voyager at last.

Refrain:
Father, in thy gracious keeping
leave we now thy servant sleeping.

There the tears of earth are dried;
there its hidden things are clear;
there the work of life is tried
by a juster Judge than here. Refrain

There the sinful souls, that turn
to the cross their dying eyes,
all the love of Christ shall learn
at His feet in Paradise. Refrain

There no more the powers of hell
can prevail to mar their peace;
Christ the Lord shall guard them well,
he who died for their release. Refrain

"Earth to earth, and dust to dust,"
calmly now the words we say;
left behind, we wait in trust
till the resurrection day. Refrain

480

God of the living – J Ellerton

God of the living, in whose eyes
unveiled thy whole creation lies,
all souls are thine; we must not say
that those are dead who pass away,
from this our world of flesh set free;
we know them living unto thee.

Released from earthly toil and strife,
with thee is hidden still their life;
thine are their thoughts, their works, their powers,
all thine, and yet most truly ours;
for well we know, where'er they be,
our dead are living unto thee.

Not spilled like water on the ground,
not wrapped in dreamless sleep profound,
not wandering in unknown despair
beyond thy voice, thine arm, thy care;
not left to lie like fallen tree;
not dead, but living unto thee.

Thy word is true, thy will is just;
to thee we leave them, Lord, in trust;
and bless thee for the love which gave
thy Son to fill a human grave,
that none might fear that world to see
where all are living unto thee.

O Breather into man of breath,
O Holder of the keys of death,
O Giver of the life within,
save us from death, the death of sin;
that body, soul and spirit be
for ever living unto thee.

481

O Lord, to whom the spirits live – R Littledale

O Lord, to whom the spirits live
of all the faithful passed away,
unto their path that brightness give
which shineth to the perfect day:
Refrain:
Light Eternal, Jesus blest,
shine on them and grant them rest.

Bless thou the dead that die in thee,
and make their painful labors cease,
O purge them from impurity,
and give them everlasting peace. Refrain

In thy green, pleasant pastures feed
the sheep which thou hast summoned hence;
and by the still, cool waters lead
thy flock in loving providence. Refrain

Heal thou the wounds of earthly strife,
pouring upon the faint thy balm,
the wearied with the toils of life
place in the breast of Abraham. Refrain

How long, O holy Lord, how long
must we and they expectant wait
to hear the gladsome bridal song,
to see thee in thy royal state? Refrain

O hearken, Savior, our their cry,
O rend the heavens and come down,
make up thy jewels speedily,
and set them in thy golden crown. Refrain

Direct us with thine arm of might,
and bring us perfected with them
to dwell within thy city bright,
the heavenly Jerusalem. Refrain