Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

Words: Anon­ymous, in Hymns of the Se­cond Com­ing of Our Lord Je­sus Christ, edited by Bai­lie Brown & Pe­ter P. Bil­horn (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Bil­horn Bro­thers, 1911), num­ber 197, alt.

Music: Co­ro­nae Will­iam H. Monk, 1871 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Monk (1823–1889)

Lyrics

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Sweet that word of Thine, Lord Jesus,
I the re­sur­rect­ion am;
From among the dead it frees us,
We be­liev­ing in Thy name,
Gracious Sav­ior,
Let us now Thy love pro­claim.

Should we die, then re­sur­rect­ion!
Then the glo­ri­ous mys­te­ry!
Raised to show a long per­fect­ion,
In Thy like­ness we shall be,
In a mo­ment,
Raised to im­mor­tal­ity.

They who live on earth re­main­ing
Till Thy com­ing, ne’er shall die;
Never need a re­sur­rect­ion—
Simply gath’ring to the sky;
In a mo­ment
In the twink­ling of an eye.

Hallelujah! Hal­le­lu­jah!
Hal­le­lu­jah ’mid the skies!
Hal­le­lu­jah! Hal­le­lu­jah!
From our ran­somed tongues shall rise:
Oh! what glo­ry
To have gained our long-loved prize.