Scripture Verse

We which are alive and remain shall be caught up…in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Introduction

Words: Will­iam Reed, 1863. Pub­lished in Our Own Hymn-Book, by Charles H. Spur­geon, 1868, num­ber 342.

Music: Bene­dic­tion (Mann) Ar­thur H. Mann, 1879 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Arthur H. Mann (1850–1929)

Lyrics

’Mid the splen­dors of the glo­ry,
Which we hope ere long to share;
Christ our head, and we His mem­bers,
Shall ap­pear di­vin­ely fair.
Oh, how won­drous!
When we meet Him in the air!

From the date­less, time­less pe­ri­ods,
He has loved us with­out cause;
And for all His blood-bought my­ri­ads,
His is love that knows no pause.
Matchless Lov­er!
Changeless as the eter­nal laws!

Oh what gifts shall yet be grant­ed,
Palms, and crowns, and robes of white,
When the hope for which we pant­ed,
Bursts up­on our glad­dened sight,
And our Sav­ior
Makes us glo­ri­ous through His might.

Bright the pros­pect soon that greets us
Of that longed-for nup­ti­al day,
When our hea­ven­ly Bride­groom meets us
On His king­ly, con­quer­ing way;
In the glo­ry,
Bride and Bride­groom reign for aye!