Main message: Longing to see Christ face to face.

Bible references:

• V1. "Christ who died for me" (Romans 5:8)

(Philippians 3:20-21) Hope to see God

• V2. "faintly now I see... darkened veil between" (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"blessed day is coming" (2 Peter 3:13)

• V3. "great rejoicing" (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

"no grief, no pain" (Revelations 21:4)

"crooked ways" (Luke 3:5)

• V4. "Christ who loves us" (Ephesians 5:2)

(1 Peter 1:7-9) rejoice with joy

(Philippians 1:23) far better to be with Christ

• Refrain: "Face to face in all His glory" (Titus 2:13)

"I shall see Him by and by" (John 3:1-2)

Keywords: Face to face, behold Him, died, far beyond, Glory, by and by, see Him, Coming, rejoicing, presence, straighten’d, blissful moment, see and know, Redeemer, Jesus Christ, loves

Interpretation notes:

• This hymn uses a meditative rhythm that follows the natural stresses of the text. 

• The words 'face to face' are set to a repeated rhythm of a dotted quarter note followed by two eighth notes, repeated seven times. 

• The melody rises from phrase to phrase and reaches its highest point on the last line. 

• The first two measures of the refrain repeat at a higher step. 

• The first fermata appears near the lyric 'far beyond the starry sky.'