Blest be the Lord, Who comes to men,
With messages of grace,
Who comes, in God His Father's Name,
To save our sinful race.
Hosanna in the highest strains
The Church on earth can raise !
The highest heavens, in which He reigns,
Shall give Him nobler praise.
ORN of morns, and day of days! Beauteous were thy new-born rays; Brighter yet from death's dark prison, Christ, the Light of lights, is risen.
He commanded, and His word
Death and the dread chaos heard;
O shall we, more deaf than they,
In the chains of darkness stay?
While the dead world sleeps around,
Let the sacred temples sound
Law, and prophet, and blest psalm,
Lit with holy light so calm.
Unto hearts in slumber weak
Let the heavenly trumpet speak;
And a newer walk express
Their new life to righteousness.
Hear us, Lord, and with us be,
O Thou Fount of Charity,
Thou who dost the Spirit give,
Bidding the dead letter live.
Glory to the Father, Son,
And to Thee, O Holy One,
By whose quickening breath divine
Our dull spirits burn and shine.
HARK, the glad sound! the Saviour comes, The Saviour promised long;
heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song!
He comes, the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
He comes, from thickest films of vice
To clear the mental ray,
And on the eye-balls of the blind
To pour celestial day.
He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad Hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With Thy beloved Name.
To Christ, Creator, Saviour, King,
Let earth, let Heaven, Hosanna sing.
Hosanna! Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
"Hosanna," Lord, Thine angels cry,
"Hosanna," Lord, Thy saints reply;
Above, beneath us, and around,
The dead and living swell the sound.
Hosanna! Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
O Saviour, with protecting care,
Return to this Thy house of prayer,
Assembled in Thy sacred Name,
Where we Thy parting promise claim.
Hosanna! Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
But, chiefest, in our cleansèd breast
Bid Thy eternal Spirit rest:
And make our secret soul to be
A temple pure and worthy Thee.
Hosanna! Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
So, in the last and dreadful day,
When earth and heaven shall melt away,
Thy flock, redeemed from sinful stain,
Shall swell the sound of praise again.
Hosanna! Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
HOME, Thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art ;
Blest desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart!
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a Child, and yet a King;
Born to reign in us for ever,
Now Thy promised kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone:
By Thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne. Amen.
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must meet Him on His road
With hymns of holy joy.
The everlasting Son
Incarnate soon shall be:
He will a servant's form put on,
To make His people free.
Daughter of Zion, rise,
And greet thy lowly King;
And do not wickedly despise
The mercies He will bring.
As Judge, in clouds of light,
He will come down again,
And all His scattered saints unite
With Him in heaven to reign.
Before that dreadful day
May all our sin be gone;
May the old man be put away,
And the new man put on.
Praise to the Saviour Son,
From all the angel host:
Like praise be to the Father done,
to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Him room,
Let every heart prepare
And heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns,
Let men their songs employ ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.
Let the whole earth His love proclaim,
With all her different tongues,
And spread the honour of His Name
In melody and songs.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow,
Far as the curse is found.
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