Scripture Verse

The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

Introduction

Words: Ar­ranged from Will­iam Luff in Hymns of the Se­cond Com­ing of Our Lord Je­sus Christ, ed­it­ed by Pe­ter P. Bil­horn (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Bil­horn Bro­thers, 1911), page 158.

Music: Thal­berg Sig­is­mond Thal­berg (1812–1871) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Sigismond Thalberg (1812–1871)

Lyrics

He’s com­ing in the morn­ing!
We’ve seen His her­ald star;
Away to­ward the east­ward
Are gleam­ings from afar;
He’s com­ing, sure­ly com­ing,
The night has last­ed long;
We have His bless­èd pro­mise,
We sing with faith our song.

He’s com­ing in the morn­ing,
To wak­en all who sleep!
His ser­vants who are rest­ing
In earth and migh­ty deep;
He’s com­ing, sure­ly com­ing,
The dead in Christ shall rise;
In re­sur­rect­ion gar­ments
They’ll meet Him in the skies.

He’s coming in the morn­ing,
The dawn­ing draw­eth nigh;
Believers shall be ga­thered
To yon­der home on high;
He’s com­ing, sure­ly com­ing,
Then we shall with Him reign,
Be changed in­to His like­ness;
He’s com­ing back again.