Scripture Verse

The Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon His land. Zechariah 9:16

Introduction

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John Cennick (1718–1755)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: John Cen­nick (1718–1755). Ap­peared in A Se­lect­ion of Hymns from the Best Au­thors, by John Rip­pon, 1787. The words have been re­pub­lished ma­ny times, some­times omit­ting the first two stan­zas. Those wish­ing to use the en­tire hymn in mo­dern wor­ship may con­si­der up­dat­ing the first line of the se­cond verse; sug­gest­ion: Long drea­ry cen­tur­ies now have passed…

Music: Wood­worth Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry, Men­dels­sohn Col­lect­ion, or Third Book of Psal­mo­dy (New York: 1849) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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William B. Bradbury (1816–1868)

Lyrics

How many years has man been driven
Far off from happiness and Hea­ven?
When wilt Thou, gracious Lord, restore
Thy wandering church, to roam no more?

Six thousand years are nearly past
Since Ad­am from Thy sight was cast;
And ever since, his fallen race,
From age to age, is void of grace.

When will the happy trump pro­claim
The judg­ment of the martyred Lamb?
When shall the captive troops be free,
And keep the eter­nal jubilee!

Hasten it, Lord, in every land;
Send Thou thine angels and command,
Go, sound deliverance; loudly blow
Salvation to the saints below.

We want to have the day appear!
The promised great sabbatic year,
When, far from grief, and sin, and hell,
Israel in ceaseless peace shall dwell.