When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Thy coming?
Matthew 24:3
Words: William H. Bathurst, Psalms and Hymns 1831, page 148.
Music: Meins Lebens Licht Nürnberger Gesangbuch, 1676 (🔊 pdf nwc).
Jesus, Thy church with longing eyes
For Thine expected coming waits:
When will the promised Light arise,
And glory beam from Zion’s gates?
E’en now, when tempests round us fall,
And wintry clouds o’ercast the sky,
Thy words with pleasure we recall,
And deem that our redemption’s nigh.
Come, gracious Lord, our hearts renew,
Our foes repel, our wrongs redress,
Man’s rooted enmity subdue,
And crown Thy Gospel with success.
O come, and reign o’er every land;
Let Satan from his throne be hurled;
Let nations bow to Thy command,
And grace revive a dying world.
Yes, Thou wilt speedily appear;
The smitten earth already reels;
And not far off we seem to hear
The thunder of Thy chariot wheels.
Teach us, in watchfulness and prayer,
To wait for the appointed hour,
And fit us for Thy grace to share
The triumph of Thy conquering power.