When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder

This hymn has long been a favorite across much of the American Evangelical world since it was written in the early part of the 20th Century.

Recently, however, I found out that this beloved hymn has been translated into a variety of other languages including Russian.

Thank you, Simon Khorolskiy, for presenting this hymn in all of its Russian-ness yet with a distinctively American flavor!

I explored the Russian words and found that they were not exactly what was in my English-language hymnal.  Small surprise.  However, it was close in ideas.  And looking at the exact word-for-word translation yielded a richer appreciation for the hymn.  Thus I took it upon myself to re-translate back from Russian, the words and ideas within Simon's Russian version.

On the Heav’nly Roll up Yonder

At the hour when the trumpet of the Lord o’er earth will sound,

And the ever bright’ning glorious dawn will come,

Then the names of all He saved in heav’nly roll call will repeat;

There by Grace alone and God’s great Love I’ll be!

   Chorus

   On the Heav’nly roll up yonder,

   On the Heav’nly roll up yonder,

   On the Heav’nly roll up yonder,

   There by Grace alone and God’s great Love I’ll be!

On the Day of Resurrection for each soul who died in Christ,

He presents them faultless there before the King,

As the saints now washed and sanctified by blood shed on the cross—

He will call and at that summons will I sing!

   Chorus

We will work for You, O Lord our God, in love of all who serve,

From the early morning till the sun has set;

When You tell me then to lay down all my earthly work and rest,

Then upon the heav’nly roll I shall appear!

   Chorus

I present both the Russian hymn version and then the English hymn version based on the Russian for your edification.

And now in English:

Filmed in the Palouse Hills of SE Washington State.

Another version— a cappella, from Tambov Church in Russia

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