THE SANDS OF TIME ARE SINKING

I love hymns that have beautiful harmony and I love hymns that have beautiful words. Some have both and this is one of them. This much-loved poem was composed by Mrs. Anne Ross Cousin, wife of a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. The poem is as remarkable as it is beautiful in that Mrs. Cousin extracted from the letters of Samuel Rutherford many of his most memorable sayings and wove them into a hymn of 19 stanzas, maintaining throughout high poetic excellence and great faithfulness to the language and spirit of the letters. Several of these stanzas remain as part of this wonderful hymn. This is the most famous of 107 hymn poems which she wrote. I love the pictures that are painted to help us visualize Emmanuel's Land - the dawn, the ocean's fullness, and the bride gazing at the Bridegroom. But I think my favorite line is "I stand upon His merit - I know no other stand!" How true - our future dwelling in Emmanuel's land is only possible because of what Christ has done for us. That is mercy and grace.

1. 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 had been the midnight

But dayspring is at hand,

And glory, glory dwelleth

In Emmanuel's land.

2. O Christ, He is the fountain,

The deep, sweet well of love!

The streams on earth I've tasted

More deep I'll drink above:

There to an ocean fullness

His mercy doth expand,

And glory, glory dwelleth

In Emmanuel's land.

3. 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 Emmanuel's land.

4. O I am my Beloved's

And my Beloved is mine!

He brings a poor vile sinner

Into His house of wine

I stand upon His merit -

I know no other stand,

Not e'en where glory dwelleth

In Emmanuel's land.

Listen to it here. LISTEN