Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter to with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life—longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over (Yes sir), and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. (45)

Unlike the opening, the end of this speech is positively thunderous. You should seriously go watch/listen.

In this last paragraph, Dr. K casts himself as a Moses figure—a leader who guides his embattled people to the Promised Land but dies just before they get there.

Some reward that turned out to be.

He tells the audience that, like Moses, he's already "been to the mountaintop" they're all climbing together (45.2). Wait a minute, they think. You've what? Sort of like when you're watching a series with someone and then discover they've binge-watched the whole thing behind your back.

Like you, they probably had some questions:

Q: If climbing the mountain = struggling to achieve freedom and dignity for oppressed people, and that hasn't actually happened yet…how can MLK claim he's been there, done that, and come back down—done and dusted?

A: Well…it's a prophecy.

Q: What's the view like from up there?

A: Only the best view ever.

Up on that metaphorical mountaintop, MLK's "seen the Promised Land" (45.8)—not an actual different place, but our world, once people have decided our fellow human beings are priority number one. It's a land of freedom, equality, and full citizenship for all, and Dr. K is certain that African Americans will "get to the Promised Land" (45.10). He's not afraid to die, either, because he believes freedom and justice are "God's will" (45.6). And what God wants, God gets.

The last flourish, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord" (45.12), is a line from "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." It's not just an apocalyptic vision of the Second Coming of Jesus, but a vision of peace on Earth and goodwill toward our fellow human beings. A.k.a. what Jesus preached the first time.

It's a powerful ending, and it makes us ask ourselves questions that Dr. K would want us to ask—questions he'd surely asked himself many times. It's an uplifting vision of the promise of equality being finally made true. But it's best known as a tragic prophecy of his assassination.