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
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:
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,
hear them sing!
Welcome! welcome!
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!