1. Lo, God to heav’n ascendeth!
   Throughout its regions vast
   With shouts triumphant blendeth
   The trumpet’s thrilling blast:
   Sing praise to Christ the Lord;
   Sing praise with exultation,
   King of each heathen nation,
   The God of hosts adored!

2. With joy is heav’n resounding
   Christ’s glad return to see;
   Behold the saints surrounding
   The Lord who set them free.
   Bright myriads, thronging, come;
   The cherub band rejoices,
   And loud seraphic voices
   All welcome Jesus home.

3. From cross to throne ascending,
   We follow Christ on high
   And know the pathway wending
   To mansions in the sky.
   Our Lord is gone before;
   Yet here He will not leave us,
   But soon in heav’n receive us
   And open wide the door.

4. Our place He is preparing;
   To heav’n we, too, shall rise,
   With Him His glory sharing,
   Be where our Treasure lies.
   Bestir thyself, my soul!
   Where Jesus Christ has entered,
   There let thy hope be centered;
   Press onward toward the goal.

5. Let all our thoughts be winging
   To where Thou didst ascend,
   And let our hearts be singing:
   “We seek Thee, Christ, our Friend,
   Thee, God’s exalted Son,
   Our Life, and Way to heaven,
   To whom all pow’r is given,
   Our Joy and Hope and Crown.”

6. Farewell with all thy treasures,
   O world, to falsehood giv’n!
   Thy dross gives no true pleasures;
   We seek the joys of heav’n.
   The Savior is our Prize;
   He comforts us in sadness
   And fills our heart with gladness;
   To Him we lift our eyes.

7. When, on our vision dawning,
   Will break the wished-for hour
   Of that all-glorious morning
   When Christ shall come with pow’r?
   O come, thou welcome day!
   When we, our Savior meeting,
   His second advent greeting,
   Shall hail the heav’n-sent ray.

Gott fähret auf gen Himmel
Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer, 1661
Tr. Frances E. Cox, alt.
Source: Sts. 1–5, The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, No. 214
Sts. 6–7, Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, 1927, No. 233