43. Hymn of Grief

Here is my attempt to flesh out that "Funeral Hymn Fragment" from my previous post. Before you complain that it's too long, remember that there are more uses for a hymn than being sung in church.

O Christ, You know: to live
Is good; to die is best.
For while we here yet strive,
Those yonder taste Your rest.

They run ahead to joys
Whereof our hope is keen.
We grope with grief-dimmed eyes;
They blessed light have seen.¹

Their sicknesses are healed,
While yet we suffer more;
Their happiness is sealed;
We yet are sad and sore.

They’ve run their race and won
The crown life in heaven;
We’ve many miles to run,
Still sinful, though forgiven.

Those perfect ones now live,
Yet we remain to die;
While in Your arms they thrive,
Regretting them, we sigh.

They still are whom we love,
Though Your love is the best;
While they have passed above,
Dare we begrudge their rest?

Your love for them and us
Excels all in our heart;
Dare we resent You thus
For drawing us apart?

For they have but arrived
Where we shall join them soon,
And all shall be revived
By You, for bane or boon.

Till then, help us to strive
For their victorious rest!
Though dying, yet alive,
Death’s ramparts we invest.

They who have passed beyond
Unite with us to pray:
How long must we, how long
Endure this evil day?

Amen! Come quickly, Lord!
Come, wipe away all tears.
We long to be restored;
Our dawn of freedom nears.

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¹This stanza went through several versions. This version is closer to my original concept for the stanza, except with a less glaring blip in the rhyme scheme. My initial attempt to resolve this conflict was the less satisfactory
They run forth to delight
Whereof our hope is keen.
We grope behind in night;
Your brightness they have seen.