Scripture Verse

Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching. Luke 12:37

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
1702–1751

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 210: The ac­tive Chris­tian.

Music: Na­ren­za ad­apt­ed from the Ka­thol­ische Kirch­en­ge­sang (Co­logne, Ger­ma­ny: 1619) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

Lyrics

Ye servants of the Lord,
Each in his office wait,
Observant of His heavenly Word,
And watchful at His gate.

Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame,
Gird up your loins, as in His sight,
For awful is His name.

Watch, ’tis your Lord’s command,
And while we speak, He’s near;
Mark the first signal of His hand,
And ready all appear.

O happy servant he,
In such a posture found!
He shall His Lord with rapture see,
And be with honor crowned.

Christ shall the banquet spread
With His own royal hand,
And raise that faithful servant’s head
Amidst the angelic band.