Pleasant Are Thy Courts Above

Representative Text

1 Pleasant are Thy courts above
In the land of light and love;
Pleasant are Thy courts below
In this land of sin and woe.
O my spirit longs and faints
For the converse of Thy saints,
For the brightness of Thy face,
For Thy fullness, God of grace.

2 Happy birds that sing and fly
Round Thy altars, O Most High;
Happier souls that find a rest
In a heavenly Father's breast!
Like the wandering dove that found
No repose on earth around,
They can to their ark repair
And enjoy it ever there.

3 Happy souls, their praises flow
Even in this vale of woe;
Waters in the desert rise,
Manna feeds them from the skies;
On they go from strength to strength
Till they reach Thy throne at length,
At Thy feet adoring fall,
Who hast led them safe through all.

4 Lord, be mine this prize to win;
Guide me through a world of sin,
Keep me by Thy saving grace,
Give me at Thy side a place.
Sun and shield alike Thou art;
Guide and guard my erring heart.
Grace and glory flow from Thee;
Shower, O shower them, Lord, on me.

Amen.

Source: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #523

Author: Henry Francis Lyte

Lyte, Henry Francis, M.A., son of Captain Thomas Lyte, was born at Ednam, near Kelso, June 1, 1793, and educated at Portora (the Royal School of Enniskillen), and at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he was a Scholar, and where he graduated in 1814. During his University course he distinguished himself by gaining the English prize poem on three occasions. At one time he had intended studying Medicine; but this he abandoned for Theology, and took Holy Orders in 1815, his first curacy being in the neighbourhood of Wexford. In 1817, he removed to Marazion, in Cornwall. There, in 1818, he underwent a great spiritual change, which shaped and influenced the whole of his after life, the immediate cause being the illness and death of a brother cler… Go to person page >

Notes

Pleasant are Thy courts above. H. F. Lyte. [Ps. lxxxiv.] Published in his Spirit of the Psalms, 1834, in 4 stanzas of 8 1ines and again in later editions. Its use in all English-speaking countries is extensive, and it is usually given in an unaltered form, as in Hymns Ancient & Modern, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, &c . In the S. P. C. K. Hymns, 1852, No. 162, a portion of this hymn was given in 4 st. of 41., as "Happy they that find a rest."

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

MAIDSTONE


ST. GEORGE'S WINDSOR (Elvey)

George J. Elvey (PHH 48) composed ST. GEORGE'S WINDSOR as a setting for James Montgomery's text "Hark! The Song of Jubilee," with which it was published in Edward H. Thorne's Selection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1858). The tune has been associated with Alford's text since publication of the hymn in th…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 246)
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A Church hymnal #228

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A Collection of Hymns #33

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A Manual of Worship #154

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A Selection of Hymns #8

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A Treasury of Hymns #223

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African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #523

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African Methodist Episcopal hymn and tune book #649

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An Evening Service Book #64

Book of Common Praise #d459

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Book of Worship #192

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Carmina Sanctorum, a selection of hymns and songs of praise with tunes #94

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Carmina Sanctorum #94

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Children's Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada #117

Choral Song #d164

Christian Hymnal #d387

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Christian Hymns #250

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Christian Praise #32

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Christian Song #36

Christian Youth Hymnal #102

Church and University Hymns #d159

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Church Book #44

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Church Book #44

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Church Hymnal #455

Church Hymnal, Fourth Edition #459

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Church Hymnal, Mennonite #164

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #164

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #d436

Church Hymnal, Third Edition #451

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Church Hymns and Gospel Songs #3

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Church Hymns and Gospel Songs #3

Church Hymns and Services, Published under License of the Church Pension Fund #d198

Church Hymns with Tunes #483

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Church Hymns #530

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College Hymnal #25

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Common Praise #83

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Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church #422

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CPWI Hymnal #740

Divine Service Book for the Armed Forces #d173

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Gipsy Smith's Mission Hymnal #CH3

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Gloria Deo #14

Gloria in Excelsis #d551

Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home and Services for Congregational Worship. Rev. ed. #d587

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Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home. (Rev. ed.) #316

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Hymn Tunes #122

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Hymnal Amore Dei #191

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #200

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Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church #333

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book with Accompanying Tunes (Second Edition) #227

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #176a

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #176b

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #227

Hymnal for children #d167

Hymnal of the Evangelical Church. Word ed. #d606

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Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada #245

Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada with Accompanying Tunes #d243

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Hymnal with Music for Children #160

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Hymnal with Music for Children #160

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Hymnal, Amore Dei #191

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Hymnal, Amore Dei. Rev. ed. #a191

Text

Hymnal #200

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Hymnal #200

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Hymns Ancient and Modern (Standard ed.) #240

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Edition #389

Hymns Ancient and Modern, Revised #240

Hymns Ancient and Modern #307

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #1003

Hymns and Tunes for Children of the Church #d162

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Hymns for Church and Home #34

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Hymns for the Church #13

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Hymns for the Church on Earth #358

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Hymns for the Living Age #449

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Hymns of Praise and Patriotism #101

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Hymns of the Ages #234

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Hymns of the Ages #234

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Hymns of the Church Universal #290

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Hymns of the Church #224

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Hymns of the Faith with Psalms #417

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Hymns of the Faith #536

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #359

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #359

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #397

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Hymns of the United Church #95

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Hymns of the United Church #95

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Hymns of Worship and Service #26

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Hymns of Worship and Service (15th ed.) #26

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Hymns of Worship and Service #26

Hymns, Psalms and Gospel Songs with Responsive Readings #d324

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Hymns, Psalms and Gospel Songs #17

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Immanuel Hymnal #39

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In Excelsis #6

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In Excelsis #a6

Jewel Selections #d144

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Laudamus #24

Laudent Omnes #d149

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Laudes Domini #57

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Laudes Domini #84

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Laudes Domini #29

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Luther League Hymnal #68

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Manual for the chapel of Girard College #127

Pages

Exclude 242 pre-1979 instances
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