Scripture Verse

That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 2 Peter 3:12

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in A Col­lect­ion of Hymns, for the Use of the Peo­ple Called Bi­ble Chris­tians, se­cond edi­tion (Sheb­bear, De­von: James Thorne, 1863), num­ber 562.

Music: Dal­ston Aar­on Will­iams, 1760 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Will­iams (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

The hour will quickly come,
When earth shall hear its doom;
At His command the flames shall rise;
Ten thousand thunders roar,
And rage from shore to shore;
While all dissolve, both earth and skies.

See, see the Judge appear!
His last great mandate hear,
To judg­ment, all ye nations come!
The nations all obey,
And, trembling, haste away
To meet their ev­er­last­ing doom.

Now all the human race
Appear before the face
Of sovereign majesty divine:
Ye guilty and impure,
How will ye then endure
Your dreadful destiny to hear?

Great day, that shall descry
To every wondering eye
The secret deeds of day and night!
The sacred volume large
Its records shall discharge,
And bring our every thought to light.

The bold blasphemer there
Will tremble and despair;
No way to shun impending ire;
Where shall the guilty hide,
Or the fierce day abide,
When He appears revealed in fire?

With pangs unfelt before,
Too late they now implore
A refuge from tremendous wrath;
With what stupendous awe
They hear the fiery law
Consign them to eter­nal death!