DOCTRINES >> ETERNAL LIFE
SDAH 431
Come let us sing of homeland,
Down by the crystal sea;
Wonderful land where Jesus
Buildeth a mansion for me.
Get the hymn sheet in other keys here
For Worship Leaders
Make each hymn more meaningful with these helpful tools: Short, ready-to-use hymn introductions for church bulletins, multiple ways to introduce a hymn based on your worship theme and in-depth history and insights to enrich your song service.
Hymn Spotlight: Over Yonder
Henry de Fluiter wrote this hymn in 1914, painting a vivid picture of the New Jerusalem—a place of beauty beyond what human words can capture. First appearing in Gospel in Song (1926), its Scripture-filled lines lift our eyes from earthly trials to the promised home “over yonder,” where God’s people will rejoice forever in His presence. It’s a song of longing, hope, and unwavering faith in the reality of heaven.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
This is one of the finest gospel songs written by the singing evangelist Henry de Fluiter (1872-1970; see SDAH 202), who for many years led the singing for the meetings of H.M.S. Richards. Written in 1914 at the beginning of World War I while he was directing music for the meetings of evangelist Charles T. Everson, this description of the wonders of the New Jerusalem first appeared in Gospel in Song, Review and Herald, 1926. The omitted third stanza is:
There is a wondrous city,
Streets of transparent gold;
Not half its glorious beauty,
Has e’er to mortals been told.
Most of the songs De Fluiter wrote were replete with Scripture, nearly every line revealing his reading and study. His other hymn in SDAH is No. 202, “Hail Him the King of Glory.”
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Come let us sing of homeland,
Down by the crystal sea;
Wonderful land where Jesus
Buildeth a mansion for me.
Refrain
Over yonder, down by the crystal sea,
down by the crystal sea,
Over yonder, there’s where I long to be,
There’s where I long to be,
No more sorrow, toil, grief, nor care,
In the homeland bright and fair,
Over, over there.
Over there.
2
Water of life there floweth,
Fruit in abundant store;
Citizens of that country
Hunger and thirst never more.
3
Come go with me to homeland,
Jesus invites you there;
Help spread the invitation,
Tell it to men everywhere.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) Rev 22:1; John 14:2 (b) Rev 22:2; Rev 7:16 (c) Mark 16:15
Author
Henry de Fluiter (1872-1970)
Year Published
1914
Metrical Number
7.6.7.7.Ref.
Composer
Henry de Fluiter
Year Composed
1918
Recommended Reading
The year 1916 was full of tumultuous wars, particularly World War I. A lot of uncertainty and fear was in the air. Yet, it was against this backdrop that Henry de Fluiter’s hymn, “Hail Him the King of Glory” was set.
From the title alone, we see that the hymn writer’s main descriptor for God is that He is “King of glory” who will “come to reign”. He also purposefully puts these words in the refrain, allowing the singer to sing it several times in the hymn. It serves as a constant reminder that in a time full of fighting between the world’s biggest governments and nations, God still reigns.
