“Superb Issues of Thee Are Spoken” by John Newton

Superb issues of thee are spoken,
Zion, metropolis of our God;
He whose Phrase can’t be damaged
Shaped thee for His personal abode.
On the Rock of Ages based,
What can shake thy positive repose?
With salvation’s partitions surrounded,
Thou might’st smile in any respect thy foes.

See, the streams of residing waters,
Springing from everlasting love,
Properly provide thy little kids
And all worry of need take away.
Who can faint whereas such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which just like the Lord, the giver,
By no means fails from age to age.

’Spherical every habitation hov’ring,
See the cloud and fireplace seem
For a glory and a cov’ring,
Exhibiting that the Lord is close to.
Thus deriving from their banner
Mild by night time and shade by day,
Protected they feed upon the manna
Which He offers them after they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed within the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls depend on,
Makes them kings and monks to God.
’Tis His love His individuals raises
Over self to reign as kings,
And as monks, His solemn praises
Every for a thank providing brings.

Savior, if of Zion’s metropolis
I, by grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity;
I’ll glory in Thy title.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and present;
Strong joys and lasting treasure
None however Zion’s kids know.