Bernard of Cluny was a Benedictine monk in the 12th century. The verses of “Jerusalem the Golden” are just a minute portion of a three-thousand-line poem written in meter form. Bernard of Cluny’s poem was a bitter satire on the fearful corruptions he saw in the year 1145. He contrasted those corruptions with the magnificent glories of what heaven will be like for God’s saints. This hymn gives the opposite of what we see and experience. “Jerusalem the Golden” proclaims confidence God’s saints have for the future.
Verse one: “Jerusalem the golden, with milk and honey blest.” This is a beautiful picture of what the Israelites would find when they entered the Promised Land of Canaan. Our Promised Land is heaven. “The sight of it refreshes the weary and oppressed.” We have been living in the desolation and desert of this sinful, barren wilderness. We are worn out and weary. We are oppressed by a culture that hinders the vocal expression of our faith. But we are excited and refreshed to go home to heaven.
“I know not, oh, I know not what joys await us there, what radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.” Jerusalem the Golden is full of bliss and glory. We cannot know what joys await us there. We cannot even begin to imagine what heaven is like – perfection, without sin. We have tastes of it in absolution and communion. But we cannot fully understand or appreciate it until we arrive in the new heaven and new earth. There in the New Jerusalem, “the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25).
“To sing the hymn unending with all the martyr throng, amidst the halls of Zion resounding full with song.” The halls of Zion are Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the holy city. God was in the temple. God’s temple on earth is the Christian Church. We gather in church as the halls of Zion. Christ in us and us in Christ – a mystical union. In worship in our churches, the Christian saints on earth join our voices with the martyr throng of saints who have already gone home to heaven. Our combined voices shake the halls of Zion.
Verse two: “Oh, sweet and blessed country, the home of God’s elect! Oh, sweet and blessed country That eager hearts expect.” God’s elect are the heirs of this sweet and blessed country. They had been chosen in eternity to be with God for eternity. Revelation 22 is the fitting conclusion for the events of Genesis 3. Because of the Fall, humanity was driven out of the Garden. But God promised to send the seed of the woman to destroy the serpent and to bring the blessing of life once more to dead and dying people, to remove the curse brought by sin. That promise was kept when the woman’s Son came into the world to destroy the power of the ancient serpent.
“Where they who with their leader have conquered in the fight forever and forever are clad in robes of white.” The pierced Lamb sitting on his throne is holding his captain’s flag. This is an apocalyptic war. Here on earth we are part of the Saints Militant – we are saints at war – at war with our sinful nature, at war with Satan and his demonic horde, at war with the enemies of the gospel. But in heaven we will become a part of the Saints Triumphant – our sinful nature will be gone, Satan will have been hurled down into the abyss once and for all, and the enemies of Christ will be locked up in their hellish prison. The curse of sin that we feel in this world will be gone once and for all (Revelation 12:3).
The saints are clad in robes of white. We will wear our white baptismal gowns for eternity. We are pure. We are sacred. We are holy. The only reason why we will be able to stand before a holy God and see his face (Revelation 22:4) is because Christ has made us holy in baptismal waters.
“Jesus in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest where sings the host of heaven your glorious name to bless.” Jesus brings us, not in justice, but in mercy, for we need mercy. It is because of this mercy that we will join in singing to the Lamb for eternity. We often think that we are silenced upon our death. Not so. We will join with the martyr throng. In church is where heaven comes down to earth. It is where Jerusalem the Golden comes to us. … Until we can go there.
Verse three: “The Christ is ever with them; the daylight is serene, the pastures of the blessed are ever rich and green.” Jesus died outside of Jerusalem. He was the sacrifice. He died in the darkness so that there is no more darkness. He is the light of the world so there is no need for the sun in heaven. “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light” (Revelation 22:5). The pastures are ever rich and green. The tree of life produces twelve crops of fruit, one crop each month. The picture is that the Church in glory will be nurtured for all time by the tree of life, refreshed by the river flowing through the city, and enjoy the green pastures of paradise.
“There is the throne of David; and there from care released, the shout of them that triumph, the song of them that feast.” The king is coronated on the throne of David. Jesus is crowned with thorns. The cross is Christ’s glory. In suffering we see God’s true glory. Jesus was hanging naked on the tree so that he is now robed in glory for eternity. It is because of Christ’s suffering, wounds, and death that we can inherit this New Jerusalem. It is ours already right now. But it is only when we finally arrive in Jerusalem the Golden will we be released from all cares – free from sickness, sin, death, the devil. That’s why we have shouts of triumph. We are with our leader. There at the throne of David, our leader is coronated as the king over all creation.
“To God enthroned in glory the Church’s voices blend, the Lamb forever blessed, the Light that knows no end.” The Church’s voices blend – all saints of all places and all times. Not a church confined to one location, but the Christian Church that combines heaven and earth. We join with the saints in singing praises to the Lamb upon his throne. It is one long continuous liturgy – it is the work of the people in praising God; it is the work of God in being present among his people.
“Jerusalem the Golden” is an ancient hymn that has found new life in our churches. We sing it for festival services. We’ve used it for Christian funerals. It is a hymn that comforts and consoles, while at the same time proclaiming and professing our faith. It is a faith that announces that we Christians are more comfortable and confident in the future than we are in the present. Because our future is with the Lamb on his throne gathered with the saints triumphant in Jerusalem the Golden.