This hymn is a loose adaptation of an old Primitive Baptist hymn titled “We Shall Sleep But Not Forever” by J. E. Goodson. It has been updated and fit into the tune Wayfaring Stranger, a Spiritual filled with mournful, hopeful joy strongly associated with a reuniting of the family of God beyond the river (a reference to the Biblical Jordan river, beyond which lay the promised land, Canaan).
The song is unique in that is takes the voice of the one who is dying, singing to his/her loved ones. Though we may not all be facing the prospect of our own deaths, none of us is guaranteed another day, making it easy to identify with and sing this hymn with others.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
LyricsVerse 1:
I'm goin' to sleep, but not forever
To take my rest beneath the trees;
But then I'll wake to live forever
Upon the land where Jesus is.
Weep not for me, weep not my brother,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Verse 2:
I feel the chills of death upon me,
And all my friends are veiled with tears
My Savior calms and now upholds me
He's banishing my gloomy fears.
Weep not for me, weep not my sister,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Verse 3:
O Brother, we shall meet in heaven,
Where blessings wait for you and me;
O Sister, then with sins forgiven
From death we'll be forever free.
Weep not for me, weep not my children,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Text by David L. Ward, © 2020 Hymnicity
Tune: WAYFARING STRANGER (Spiritual, public domain)
I'm goin' to sleep, but not forever
To take my rest beneath the trees;
But then I'll wake to live forever
Upon the land where Jesus is.
Weep not for me, weep not my brother,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Verse 2:
I feel the chills of death upon me,
And all my friends are veiled with tears
My Savior calms and now upholds me
He's banishing my gloomy fears.
Weep not for me, weep not my sister,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Verse 3:
O Brother, we shall meet in heaven,
Where blessings wait for you and me;
O Sister, then with sins forgiven
From death we'll be forever free.
Weep not for me, weep not my children,
Though you may mourn, I'll be reborn
For I am goin' beyond the river;
Soon you will come and follow me.
Tune: WAYFARING STRANGER (Spiritual, public domain)