Scripture Verse

At midnight there was a shout, Look! The Bridegroom! Go out to meet Him. Matthew 25:6

Introduction

portrait
Peter P. Bilhorn (1865–1936)

Words: Pe­ter P. Bil­horn, in Hymns of the Se­cond Com­ing of Our Lord Je­sus Christ (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Bil­horn Bro­thers, 1911), num­ber 147, alt.

Music: John Brown’s Bo­dy, pos­si­bly by John Will­iam Stef­fe (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Are you rea­dy for the Bride­groom?
He may come this ve­ry night.
Are your lamps all trimmed and burn­ing,
Are your gar­ments pure and white?
There will be no time for trad­ing
When the Church shall take her flight
Her Lord and king to meet.

Refrain

O, the bless­èd time of greet­ing,
O, the bless­èd time of meet­ing;
O, the bless­èd time of greet­ing,
When we our Lord shall meet.

For the Lord Him­self shall then des­cend
From Hea­ven with a shout;
When He comes in all His glo­ry
Satan’s hosts He’ll put to rout!
Then the Bride shall go to meet Him,
Sinners then no more shall doubt;
That Christ is Lord and king.

Refrain

Every eye shall then be­hold Him,
Every knee be­fore Him bow;
Every tongue shall then con­fess Him:
Brethren, we ex­hort you now;
Let the ran­somed mount on joy­ful wings
And trum­pets loud­ly blow,
All hail the King of kings.

Refrain

Come, Lord Je­sus, O come quick­ly,
Come and set Thy peo­ple free;
Come in glo­ry, might and po­wer,
Come, we look and long for Thee;
Come, for all things now are rea­dy,
Usher in the ju­bi­lee,
When we our king shall see.

Refrain