Scripture Verse

Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

Introduction

Words: Jo­seph Swain, Wal­worth Hymns (Lon­don: J. Mat­thews, 1792), pag­es 22–24.

Music: St. Aus­tin Gre­go­ri­an chant. Ar­ranged in the Bris­tol Tune Book, 1876 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Joseph Swain (1761–1796)

Lyrics

Lo, He comes, ar­rayed in ven­geance,
Riding down the heav’n­ly road;
Floods of fu­ry roll be­fore him—
Who can meet an ang­ry God?
Tremble sin­ners,
Who can stand be­fore His rod?

Lo He comes, in glo­ry shin­ing;
Saints, arise and meet your king!
Glorious Cap­tain of sal­va­tion,
Welcome! wel­come!
hear them sing!
Shouts of tri­umph,
Make the heav’ns with ech­oes ring.

Now, des­pis­ers, look and won­der!
Hear the dread­ful sound De­part,
Rattling, like a peal of thun­der,
Through each guil­ty re­bel’s heart!
Lost for ev­er,
Hope and sin­ners here must part!

Still they hear the aw­ful sen­tence;
Hell re­sounds the dread­ful roar,
While their heart-strings twinge with ang­uish,
Trembling on the burn­ing shore!
Justice seals it—
Down they sink, to rise no more!

How they shrink, with hor­ror view­ing
Hell’s deep ca­verns op­en­ing wide!
Guilty thoughts, like ghosts pur­su­ing,
Plunge them down the roll­ing tide!
Now con­sid­er,
Ye who scorn the Lamb that died!

Hark! ten thou­sand harps re­sound­ing!
Formed in bright and grand ar­ray,
See the glo­ri­ous ar­mies ris­ing,
While their cap­tain leads the way!
Heav’n be­fore them
Opens an eter­nal day!