For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country

“For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country” is a portion of Bernard of Cluny’s long twelfth century poem De Contemptu Mundi, a work that contrasts the vanity of earthly life with the glory of heaven. Bernard, a monk of the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny in France, wrote with deep longing for the eternal home promised to the people of God. His poetry expresses a pure and sincere desire to leave behind the burdens of this present world and to behold the joy of the heavenly country where Christ reigns in perfect peace. The hymn text was later translated into English by John Mason Neale in the nineteenth century, preserving the rich devotional tone of Bernard’s original Latin verses.

The hymn reflects the spirit of Hebrews 11:16, which says that believers seek a better country, a heavenly one, prepared by God. Bernard captures this longing by describing heaven as a land of rest, joy, and unending fellowship with the Lord. His language lifts the heart toward the promise of Revelation 21, where God wipes away every tear and removes all sorrow. The hymn helps believers meditate on the purity, peace, and beauty of the life to come, stirring the soul to look beyond the troubles of the present age.

Bernard also echoes the teaching of Philippians 3:20, which reminds Christians that their citizenship is in heaven. The hymn encourages worshippers to live with their eyes fixed on that eternal home, knowing that the sufferings of this world are temporary and cannot compare with the glory that awaits the redeemed. This hope strengthens faith during trials and nurtures a spirit of perseverance, because heaven is not a vague dream but a real inheritance secured by the work of Christ.

The translation by Neale preserves the poetic richness and the contemplative depth of Bernard’s original lines. For this reason, the hymn continues to appear in collections that emphasize classical Christian devotion. It remains a treasured text for times of meditation, services focused on heaven, and moments when believers need renewed confidence in the promises of God. Its beauty lies in its gentle encouragement to look upward with longing and to walk faithfully until the day when the heavenly country becomes sight instead of hope.