This is an hymn by Charles Wesley, 1767, from Family Hymns, Hymn 165, entitled On the birthday of a friend. "A manuscript precursor of this hymn appears in MS Richmond, 2–4; where it is clear this was written for the birthday of Sarah Gwynne Wesley." Meter of the first, seventh, and eighth stanzas is 669. 669; but other stanzas vary: the second stanza is 659. 669; third is 569. 569, fourth is 659. 569, fifth and sixth are 569. 669.
1. Come away to the skies,
My beloved arise,
And rejoice on the day thou wast born,
On the festival day
Come exulting away,
To thy heavenly country return.
2. We have laid up our love
And treasure above,
Though our bodies continue below;
The redeemed of the Lord
We remember his word,
And with singing to Zion we go.
3. With singing we praise
The original grace
By our heavenly Father bestowed,
Our being receive
From his bounty, and live
To the honor and glory of God.
4. For thy glory we are
Created to share
Both the nature and kingdom divine:
Created again,
That our souls may remain
In time and eternity thine.
5. With thanks we approve
The design of thy love
Which hath joined us, in Jesus his name,
So united in heart,
That we never can part,
Till we meet at the feast of the Lamb.
6. There, there at his seat
We shall suddenly meet,
And be parted in body no more,
We shall sing to our lyres
With the heavenly choirs,
And our Savior in glory adore.
7. Hallelujah we sing
To our Father and King,
And his rapturous praises repeat;
To the Lamb that was slain
Hallelujah again
Sing all heaven, and fall at his feet.
8. In assurance of hope
We to Jesus look up,
Till his banner unfurled in the air
From our grave we doth see,
And cry out "It is he!"
And fly up to acknowledge him there!