Scripture Verse

It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11–12

Introduction

portrait
Richard W. Adams (1952–)

Words: Jo­si­ah Hop­kins, in The Chris­tian Lyre, ed­it­ed by Jo­shua Lea­vitt (New York: Jo­na­than Lea­vitt, 1830), num­ber 113.

Music: Jai­pur, from Jo­hann M. Hay­dn (1737–1806) . Adapt­ed by Ri­chard W. Ad­ams, 2016 (pu­blic do­main) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Josiah Hopkins (1786–1862)

Lyrics

Why sleep we, my breth­ren? Come, let us arise,
O, why should we slum­ber in sight of the prize?
Salvation is near­er, our days are far spent,
O, let us be ac­tive; awake! and re­pent.

O, how can we slum­ber! The Mas­ter is come,
And call­ing on sin­ners to seek them a home;
The Spir­it and Bride now in con­cert unite,
The wea­ry they wel­come, the care­less in­vite.

O, how can we slum­ber! Our foes are awake;
To ru­in poor souls ev­ery ef­fort they make;
T’ac­comp­lish their obj­ect no means are un­tried,
The care­less they com­fort, the wake­ful mis­guide.

O, how can we slum­ber! When so much was done,
To pur­chase sal­va­tion by Je­sus the Son!
Now mer­cy is prof­fered, and jus­tice dis­played,
Now God can be hon­ored, and sin­ners be saved.

O, how can we slum­ber! when death is so near,
And sin­ners are sink­ing to end­less des­pair;
Now pray­ers may avail, and they gain the high prize,
Before they in tor­ment shall lift up their eyes.

O, how can ye slum­ber! Ye sin­ners, look round,
Before the last trum­pet your hearts shall con­found;
O, fly to the Sav­ior, He calls you to­day;
Where mer­cy is wait­ing, O make no de­lay.