Scripture Verse

Watch…for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24:42

Introduction

Words: Sa­rep­ta M. I. Hen­ry, in Songs of Gra­ti­tude, ed­it­ed by James H. Fill­more (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Fill­more Bro­thers, 1877), num­ber 88.

Music: Will­iam H. Pon­ti­us (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Sarepta M. I. Henry (1839–1900)

Lyrics

We know not the time when He com­eth,
At ev­en, or mid­night, or morn;
It may be at deep­en­ing twi­light,
It may be at ear­li­est dawn.
He bids us to watch and be rea­dy,
Nor suf­fer our lights to grow dim;
That when He may come, He will find us,
All wait­ing and watch­ing for Him.
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Still wait­ing and watching for Him.

I think of His won­der­ful pi­ty,
The price our sal­va­tion has cost;
He left the bright man­sions of glo­ry
To suf­fer and die for the lost.
And some­times I think it will please Him,
When those whom He died to re­deem,
Rejoice in the hope of His com­ing,
By wait­ing and watch­ing for Him.
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Still wait­ing and watch­ing for Him.

O Je­sus, my lov­ing Re­deem­er,
Thou knowest I cher­ish as dear,
The hope that mine eyes shall be­hold Thee,
That I shall Thine own wel­come hear.
If to some as a judge Thou ap­pear­est,
Who forth from Thy pre­sence would flee,
A friend most be­lov­èd I’ll greet Thee,
I’m wait­ing and watch­ing for Thee.
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Waiting and watch­ing,
Still wait­ing and watch­ing for Thee.