Verse 1A
The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord, She is His new creation By water and the Word.
Verse 1B
From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her And for her life He died.
Verse 2A
She is from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
Verse 2B
One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.
Verse 3A
The Church shall never perish! Her dear Lord to defend, To guide, sustain, and cherish, Is with her to the end:
Verse 3B
Though there be those who hate her, And false sons in her pale, Against both foe or traitor She ever shall prevail.
Verse 4A
Though with a scornful wonder Men see her sore oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed:
Verse 4B
Yet saints their watch are keeping, Their cry goes up, “How long?” And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song!
Verse 5A
’Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore;
Verse 5B
Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.
Verse 6A
Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won,
Verse 6B
With all her sons and daughters Who, by the Master’s hand Led through the deathly waters, Repose in Eden land.
Verse 7A
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with Thee:
Verse 7B
There, past the border mountains, Where in sweet vales the Bride With Thee by living fountains Forever shall abide!