The Turtle Dove

“The time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.” Song 2:12

1. Hark! Don’t you hear the turtle dove?
    The token of redeeming love!
From hill to hill we hear the sound,
    The neighb’ring valleys echo round.
O Zion, hear the turtle dove,
    The token of your Saviour’s love!
She comes, the desert land to cheer,
    And welcome in the jubil year.

2. The winter’s past, the rain is o’er,
    We feel the chilling winds no more;
The spring is come, how sweet the view!
    All things appear divinely new.
On Zion’s mount the watchmen cry:
    “The resurrection’s drawing nigh;
Behold! The nations from abroad
    Are flocking to the mount of God.”

3. The trumpet sounds, both far and nigh,
    O sinner’s, turn! Why will ye die?
How can you spurn the gospel charms?
    Enlist with Christ, gird on your arms.
These are the days that were foretold,
    In ancient times, by prophets old;
They longed to see this glorious light,
    But all have died without the sight.

4. The latter days on us have come,
    And fugitives are flocking home;
Behold them crowd the gospel road,
    All flocking to the mount of God!
O, yes! And I will join that band,
    Now, here’s my heart, and here’s my hand;
With Satan’s bands no more I’ll be,
    But fight for Christ and liberty.

5. His banner soon will be unfurl’d,
    And he will come to judge the world;
On Zion’s mountain we shall stand,
    In Canaan’s fair, celestial land.
When sun and moon shall darken’d be,
    And flames consume the land and sea;
When worlds on worlds together blaze,
    We’ll shout, and loud hozannas raise.

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