1 Glorious things of you are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed you for his own abode:
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake your sure repose?
with salvation’s walls surrounded
you may smile at all your foes.

2 See, the streams of living waters
springing from eternal love!
well supply your sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove:
who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
grace, which like the Lord the giver
never fails from age to age.

3 Round each habitation hovering
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near:
thus they march, the pillar leading,
light by night and shade by day;
daily on the manna feeding
which he gives them when they pray.

4 Saviour, since of Zion’s city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in your name:
fading are the world’s best pleasures,
all its boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion’s children know.

Jubilate Hymns version of 'Glorious things of thee are spoken', by John Newton (1725-1807)
© in this version Jubilate Hymns