Hymns for the Watch-Night (#2)
Charles Wesley
(1707-1788)
John Wesley
(1703-1791)
Thou Judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe
With holy joy, or guilty dread,
We all shall soon appear,
Our cautioned soul prepare
For that tremendous day,
And fill us now with watchful care,
And stir us up to pray.
To pray and wait the hour,
The awful hour unknown,
When robed in majesty and power,
Thou shalt from heaven come down,
Th’ immortal Son of Man,
To judge the human race,
With all Thy Father’s dazzling train,
With all Thy glorious grace.
To damp our earthly joys,
T’ increase our gracious fears,
Forever let th’ Archangel’s voice
Be sounding in our ears
The solemn midnight cry,
“Ye dead, the Judge is come!
Arise and meet Him in the sky
And meet your instant doom!”
O may we thus be found
Obedient to His word,
Attentive to the trumpet’s sound,
And looking for our Lord!
O may we thus ensure
Our lot among the blessed,
And watch a moment to secure
An everlasting rest!
