Scripture Verse

I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever. Revelation 1:18

Introduction

portrait
Samuel Wesley (1810–1876)

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: Bu­rton & Briggs, 1818), num­ber 78. Christ’s Se­cond Com­ing.

Music: Cam­bridge (Har­ris­on) Ralph Har­ris­on, 1784. Ar­ranged by Sam­uel S. Wes­ley, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

Lyrics

Exalt the eter­nal Son,
Ye saints who know His name,
The wise, the just, the ho­ly One,
Unchangeably the same.

He lives, He ev­er lives,
To plead for us ab­ove;
His care pre­serves, His pow­er pro­tects,
The ob­jects of His love.

And soon will He des­cend,
From His ce­les­ti­al throne,
The world to judge in right­eous­ness,
And make His ven­geance known.

Then you shall see His face,
Not cloud­ed as be­fore,
But all un­veiled, se­rene­ly bright,
And won­der and ad­ore.