Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
Once for favoured sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending,
Swell the triumph of His train:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reignEvery eye shall now behold Him
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold Him,
Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall the true Messiah see.The dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears;
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshippers;
With what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!Yea, amen; let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory;
Claim the kingdoms for thine own:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.
Charles Wesley, 1758 [from lyrics from John Cennick]
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11 comments
I was going to listen to just the first stanza. But I was held to the end, which soars. The choir starts out perfect—and then gets better with each stanza. This hymn, amazingly, is virtually the entire gospel in four stanzas. And these voices: they’d give the angels in heaven a run for their money (if they had money, I mean). Thanks for posting it.
[1] Posted by David Hein on 2-12-2012 at 01:40 PM · [top]
One of the last remaining glories of Anglicanism - its choral tradition!!
[2] Posted by Nikolaus on 2-12-2012 at 02:01 PM · [top]
This hymn should not be relegated to Advent only. What a masterful hymn and tune.
[3] Posted by Cranmerian on 2-12-2012 at 02:02 PM · [top]
Lovely.
[4] Posted by The Little Myrmidon on 2-12-2012 at 02:14 PM · [top]
I have always loved the last stanza’s descant - I make my sister (the soprano) stand next to me and sing it whenever we come to this hymn in church. I am convinced that when in heaven, we won’t be limited to our voice range, and will be able to harmonize forever, in whatever part we want. Songs like this bring me closer to that realization - and that we will spend eternity gloriously singing praises to our King. Hallelujah indeed.
[5] Posted by GillianC on 2-12-2012 at 02:17 PM · [top]
Lovely and fine photos of Lichfield Cathedral, one of the most picturesque.
[6] Posted by Pageantmaster [Free Archbishop Cranmer] on 2-12-2012 at 03:37 PM · [top]
My favourite Anglican hymn, without a doubt. (Although the 1940 Hymnal’s lyrics are slightly different…)
[7] Posted by vulcanhammer on 2-12-2012 at 03:56 PM · [top]
The English surely are the best at writting hymns as well as the Welch. The continent are not that good at all. When I was in England I was surprised as to how easy it was for me to sing along with the church on hymns that I may have never heard. It is the music of the pew. I still treasure my 1940 hymn book.
[8] Posted by PROPHET MICAIAH on 2-12-2012 at 04:11 PM · [top]
Speaking of Welsh hymn tunes, my favorites are “Blaenwern” and “Cwm Rhondda.” Great harmony in both.
[9] Posted by cennydd13 on 2-12-2012 at 06:58 PM · [top]
The choir is actually singing the words from the 1940 hymnal at the last line of the first verse: “Christ the Lord returns to reign.”
BTW, love the trilled “r”‘s in the word “rapture.”
[10] Posted by The Little Myrmidon on 2-13-2012 at 12:40 PM · [top]
One of my faves as well.
[11] Posted by Ed the Roman on 2-25-2012 at 10:00 AM · [top]
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