Scripture Verse

The Lord Jesus Christ…shall judge the quick and the dead. 2 Timothy 4:1

Introduction

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems 1749, num­ber 84, pag­es 118–19.

Music: Dia­de­ma­ta George J. El­vey, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

  • Göttingen in The Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Hym­nal, ed­it­ed by George Booth (Lon­don: Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Pub­lish­ing House, 1889), num­ber 1007 (🔊 pdf nwc)
  • Southwell (Da­man) Will­iam Da­man, Psalmes of Da­vid in Eng­lish Me­ter, 1579 (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
George J. Elvey (1816–1893)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

Thou judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe,
With holy joy, or guilty dread,
We all shall soon appear.

Our cautioned souls prepare
For that tremendous day,
And fill us now with watchful care,
And stir us up to pray.

To pray, and wait the hour,
That wondrous hour unknown,
When, robed in majesty and power,
Thou shalt from Hea­ven come down.

The immortal Son of Man,
To judge the human race,
With all Thy Fa­ther’s dazzling train,
With all Thy glo­ri­ous grace.

To damp our earthly joys,
To increase our gracious fears,
For ever let the archangel’s voice
Be sounding in our ears.

The solemn midnight cry,
Ye dead, the Judge is come,
Arise, and meet Him in the sky,
And meet your instant doom!

O may we thus be found
Obedient to His Word,
Attentive to the trumpet’s sound,
And looking for our Lord!

O may we thus ensure
A lot among the blest;
And watch a moment to secure
An ev­er­last­ing rest!