Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

this is the beginning of a miniseries (a very mini series) of songs on the church. yay the church. or, more appropriately, yay Jesus, Who has purchased and wooed His bride. the bride is pretty cool, but only because of the completely amazing, utterly ravishing, and perfectly beautiful Hero Who came for her.

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
glorious things of thee are spoken,
zion, city of our God.
He Whose Word cannot be broken
formed the for His own abode.
on the Rock of ages founded,
what can shake Thy sure repose?
with salvation's walls surrounded,
thou mayst smile at all thy foes.

see the streams of living Waters
springing from eternal love,
well supplies thy sons and daughters,
and all fears of want remove.
who can faint while such a River
ever flows their thirst to quench?
grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
never fails from age to age.

blessed inhabitants of zion,
washed in the Redeemer's blood -
Jesus, Whom their souls rely on,
makes them kings and priests to God.
tis His love His people raises,
over self to reign as kings,
and as priests His solemn praises
each for a thank offering brings.

Savior, if of zion's city,
i, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity:
i will glory in Thy Name.
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but zion's children know.
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this is such an amazing song. it's amazing that we are a people bought back from such an end and given a future and a hope - given life! - so remarkable that it can be called "glorious." the glorious things spoken of us are not things inherent to us, but things given to us, things cultivated in us, by God Himself.
the thing that strikes me more and more about the bible, and these hymns (which is what makes me like them so much), is the emphasis on our union with Christ being sufficient for us - for our happiness, for our well-being, for our good: "solid joys and lasting treasures none but zion's children know."
what an amazing thing to think about: we are a prized people, nourished by our Savior Himself.
we are very loved.