Charles Wesley - Deathless Principle, Arise! Lyrics
Lyrics
1 DEATHLESS principle, arise!
Soar, thou native of the skies;
Pearl of price by Jesus bought,
To his glorious likeness wrought,
Go to shine before his throne;
Deck his mediatorial crown;
Go, his triumph to adorn;
Made for God, to God return!
2 Lo, he beckons from on high!
Fearless to his presence fly;
Thine the merit of his blood,
Thine the righteousness of God.
Angels, joyful to attend,
Hovering round thy pillows bend,
Wait to catch the signal given,
And escort thee quick to heaven.
3 Is thy earthly house distressed,
Willing to retain her guest?
'Tis not thou, but she must die;
Fly, celestial inmate, fly!
Burst thy shackles, drop thy clay,
Sweetly breathe thyself away,
Singing to thy crown remove,
Mounting high on wings of love.
4 Shudder not to pass the stream;
Venture all thy care on him,
Him whose dying love and power
Stilled its tossing, hushed its roar;
Safe is the expanded wave,
Gentle as the summer's eve,
No one object of his care
Ever suffered shipwreck there.
5 Saints in glory perfect made
Wait thy passage through the shade;
See, they throng the blissful shore,
Ardent for thy coming o'er.
Mount, their transports to improve,
Join the longing choir above,
Swiftly to their wish be given,
Kindle higher joy in heaven!
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Meaning & Inspiration
"Deathless Principle, Arise!" is more than just a hymn; it’s a profound theological declaration set to the stirring hope of eternal reunion. Released on September 29, 2024, as part of a collection featuring the beloved hymnody of Fanny Crosby, Isaac Watts, and Charles Wesley, this particular piece by Wesley resonates with the very core of Christian eschatology, offering solace and anticipation for believers facing the transition from earthly existence to heavenly glory. The genesis of this hymn lies in Wesley's deep theological convictions and his prolific output as a hymn writer for the Methodist movement, aiming to capture essential doctrines in accessible, song-form. Its meaning is rooted in the triumphant belief in an incorruptible spiritual nature, an "immortal principle" within believers, purchased by Christ's sacrifice and destined for ultimate glorification.
The hymn unfolds as a powerful exhortation, urging the believer's soul to rise, not as a fleeting thought, but as a "native of the skies" (Colossians 3:1-2). This celestial identity is not self-earned but is the direct result of Christ's redemptive work, the "Pearl of price by Jesus bought" (Matthew 13:46), and a transformation into His likeness (1 John 3:2). The imagery of decking Christ's "mediatorial crown" and adorning His triumph speaks to the believer's participation in Christ's victory over sin and death, a concept echoed in Revelation 5:9-10, where redeemed saints reign with Him. The directive, "Made for God, to God return!" underscores the teleological purpose of human existence – to find its ultimate fulfillment in communion with its Creator.
The second stanza shifts to the divine invitation. The beckoning from on high is Christ Himself, drawing His own to His presence. The assurance of salvation rests entirely on Christ's merit and the righteousness God provides, as Paul articulates in Philippians 3:9. The vision of angels eagerly attending, "Hovering round thy pillows bend," paints a beautiful picture of divine escort, a testament to the care God extends even in the final moments of earthly life, as seen in Psalm 91:11-12, where angels are appointed to guard God's people.
The earthly dwelling, the "earthly house," is presented as temporary and ultimately destined to fade. The hymn reassures the believer that the distress of separation from the physical body is not an end but a release, a "Bursting of shackles" and a shedding of the "clay" (2 Corinthians 5:1-4). This transition is not feared but embraced with a song, a joyous ascent on "wings of love."
The fourth stanza directly addresses the fear of death, often perceived as a formidable "stream." Wesley reassures the reader by invoking Christ's power, who "Stilled its tossing, hushed its roar" through His own victorious passage through death. The stream becomes a "gentle" crossing, not a terrifying abyss, for none under His care have ever been lost (John 10:28-29). This imagery draws parallels to the crossing of the Red Sea, a deliverance by divine power.
Finally, the hymn culminates in the joyous anticipation of the heavenly reception. "Saints in glory perfect made" await the arrival of those passing from earthly struggle to eternal perfection. The "blissful shore" teems with redeemed souls, eager to welcome new arrivals and to participate in the ever-increasing joy of heaven (Revelation 7:9-10). The hymn calls the departing believer to "Mount, their transports to improve, Join the longing choir above," suggesting that each soul's arrival contributes to the grand crescendo of heavenly worship. "Deathless Principle, Arise!" thus serves as a potent reminder of the Christian hope: a life not defined by its finitude, but by its eternal destination, secured by the unfailing love and power of Christ.