Scripture Verse

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3

Introduction

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Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)
Wikipedia

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Words: Je­re­my Tay­lor, Fes­tiv­al and Pe­ni­ten­tial Hymns 1655. The hymn ap­peared, re­writ­ten, in the 1853 Leeds Hymn Book as Des­cend to Thy Je­ru­sa­lem, O Lord, and in its cur­rent form in the 1868 Sar­um Hym­nal.

Music: Wood­lands Wal­ter Great­or­ex, 1916 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Toulon Ge­ne­van Psal­ter, 1551 (🔊 pdf nwc)

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Great­or­ex (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Draw nigh to Thy Je­ru­salem, O Lord,
Thy faith­ful peo­ple cry with one ac­cord;
Ride on in tri­umph; Lord, be­hold we lay
Our pas­sions, lusts, and proud wills in Thy way!

Thy road is rea­dy; and Thy paths made straight,
With long­ing ex­pec­ta­tion seem to wait
The con­se­cra­tion of Thy beau­te­ous feet,
And si­lent­ly Thy pro­mised ad­vent greet!

Hosanna! wel­come to our hearts! for here
Thou hast a tem­ple, too, as Zi­on dear;
O en­ter in, dear Lord, un­bar the door;
And in that tem­ple dwell for­ev­er­more.