Scripture Verse

Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Matthew 25:6

Introduction

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John Brownlie (1857–1925)

Words: Me­tho­di­us of Olym­pus, 3rd Cen­tu­ry (Ἄνω­θεν, παρ­θέ­νοι, βοῆς ἐγερ­σί­νε­κρος ἦχ­ος). Trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John Brown­lie, Hymns of the Greek Church (Ed­in­burgh & Lon­don: Ol­iphant, An­der­son & Fer­ri­er, 1900), pag­es 89–90.

Music: Behold the Bride­groom (Wer­de­baugh) Scott Wer­de­baugh, De­cem­ber 31, 2017 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Scott Werdebaugh (1951–)

Lyrics

Behold the Bride­groom! Hark the cry,
The dead awak­ing, rends the sky!
Go, vir­gins, He is near,
Your lamps all burn­ing clear;
He en­ters where the ris­ing light
Asunder bursts the gates of night.
In ho­ly garb, with lamp aglow,
To meet the Bride­groom forth I go.

The smiles of earth that turn to tears,
Its emp­ty joys and fool­ish fears
I leave, for Thou dost call—
Thou art my life, my all;
I would Thy beau­ty ever see,
Then let me, Bless­èd, cling to Thee.
In ho­ly garb, with lamp aglow,
To meet the Bride­groom forth I go.

For Thee I leave the world be­hind—
Thou art my bliss, O Bride­groom kind;
My beau­ty’s not mine own—
’Tis Thine, O Christ, alone;
The brid­al cham­ber I would see,
In per­fect hap­pi­ness to be.
In ho­ly garb, with lamp aglow,
To meet the Bride­groom forth I go.

O God, ex­alt­ed on Thy throne,
Who dwell’st in pu­ri­ty un­known,
Lo, now we hum­bly wait,
Throw wide the heav’n­ly gate,
And with the Bride­groom, of Thy grace,
Give us at Thy right hand a place.
In ho­ly garb, with lamp aglow,
To meet the Bride­groom forth I go.