Reginald Heber1
(1783-1826)
In the sun and moon and stars
Signs and wonders there shall be;
Earth shall quake with inward wars,
Nations with perplexity.
Soon shall ocean's hoary deep,
Toss'd with stronger tempests, rise;
Darker storms the mountains sweep,
Redder lightning rend the skies.
Evil thoughts shall shake the proud,
Racking doubt and restless fear;
And, amid the thunder-cloud,
Shall the Judge of men appear.
But though from that awful face
Heav'n shall fade and earth shall fly,
Fear ye not, His chosen race,
Your redemption draweth nigh!
25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. — Luke 21:25-28 KJV
(Special thanks to our friend Pastor Bruce Wasson for his special gift of
The Poetical Works of Reginald Heber, Late Lord Bishop of Calcutta
by M. A. DeWolfe Howe [1857], from which this poem was taken.)
- Heber wrote two poems for the second Sunday in Advent; this is the second. ↩
