Scripture Verse

The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Introduction

portrait
William H. Monk (1823–1889)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Jo­seph Swain, Wal­worth Hymns (Lon­don: J. Mat­thews, 1792), pag­es 43–44. The com­ing of Christ an­ti­ci­pat­ed.

Music: Aber Will­iam H. Monk, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Joseph Swain
1761–1796

Lyrics

In expectation sweet
We’ll wait, and sing, and pray,
Till Christ’s triumphal car we meet,
And see an endless day.

He comes! He comes! behold
His presence melts the sky!
Celestial armies, clad in gold,
Around His chariot fly.

He comes! the Con­quer­or comes!
Death falls beneath His sword;
The joyful prisoners burst the tombs,
And rise to meet their Lord!

The trumpet sounds, Awake!
Ye dead, to judg­ment come!

The pillars of creation shake
While hell receives her doom.

Thrice happy morn for those
Who love the ways of peace;
No night of sorrow e’er shall close,
Or shade, their perfect bliss.