LYRICS
| Meter: | 8 7 8 7 8 7
| | Writer(s): | Walter Chalmers Smith
| | Transl/Adapt: |
| | Dates: |
| | Bible Refs: |
| Baptist Hymn Book
| 1962
| 79
| Hymns for Today's Church 2
| 1988
| 54
|
MUSIC
Baptist Hymn Book
| 79
| A
| Hymns of Faith
| 124
| A
| Methodist Hymn Book - Hymns
| 615
| A
| Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard
| 179
| A
|
Alternate Tunes
| PICARDY | 8 7 8 7 8 7 | Old French Carol |
|
| 1. Earth was waiting, spent and restless,
With a mingled hope and fear:
And the faithful few were sighing,
“Surely, Lord, the day is near;
The Desire of all the nations,
It is time He should appear.”
2. Still the gods were in their temples,
But the ancient faith had fled;
And the priests stood by their altars
Only for a piece of bread;
And the oracles were silent,
And the prophets all were dead.
3. In the sacred courts of Zion,
Where the Lord had His abode,
There the money-changers trafficked,
And the sheep and oxen trod;
And the world, because of wisdom,
Knew not either Lord or God.
4. Then the Spirit of the Highest
On a virgin meek came down,
And He burned her with blessing,
And He pained her with renown;
For she bare the Lord’s anointed,
For His cross and for His crown.
5. Earth for Him had groaned and travailed
Since the ages first began;
For in Him was hid the secret
That through all the ages ran
Son of Mary, Son of David,
Son of God, and Son of man.
|