Lo! He Cometh, Countless Trumpets

For Second Advent, Judgment

Words: Attributed to John Cennick (1718-55) from his collection entitled Collection of Sacred Hymns (Fifth Edition, Dublin: S. Powell, 1752). Some authorities have noted that the style of this hymn is different from Cennick's usual work, and have given credit to other hymn writers.

Music: Not Stated
Meter: 8787

Source: A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, From Various Authors (London, 1774), #350, pp. 332-333.

1. Lo! he cometh, countless trumpets
Blow before the bloody sign;
'Midst ten thousand saints and angels,
See the Crucified shine.
      Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Welcome, welcome, bleeding Lamb!

2. Now his merit by the harpers
Thro' th' eternal deep resounds;
Now resplendent shine his nail-prints,
Ev'ry eye shall see his wounds:
      They who pierc'd him, they who pierc'd him,
Shall at his appearance wail.

3. Ev'ry island, sea, and mountain,.
Heav'n and earth shall flee away;
All who hate him, must, ashamed,
Hear the trump proclaim the day:
      Come to judgment, come to judgment,
Stand before the Son of man.

4. Saints who love him, view his glory,
Shining in his bruised face,
His dear person on the rainbow.
Now his peoples head shall raise:
      Happy mourners, happy mourners,
Lo! in clouds, he comes, he comes !

5. Now redemption, long expected,
See in solemn pomp appear;
All his people, once rejected,
Now shall meet him in the air:
      Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Now the promis'd kingdom's come.

6. View him smiling, now determin'd
Ev'ry evil to destroy;
All the nations now shall sing him
Songs of everlasting joy:
      O come quickly, O come quickly,
Hallelujah! come, Lord, come.

Note:

This is one of a number of English hymns inspired by a portion of the Latin, Dies iræ, dies illa.

In the fifth line of each verse there is a word or phrase repeated. In this source, it is repeated three times, but in others, only twice. The latter preserves the meter, while the former is at variance. For this reason, we've deleted the third repetition. 

See:

• Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending, Charles Wesley

• Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending, Thomas Olivers

• Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending, Martin Madan's Compilation

• Lo! He Comes! Let All Adore Him, Thomas Kelly

• Lo! He Comes, An Infant Stranger, Richard Mant

• Lo! He Comes, An Infant Stranger - From Christmas Carols 1833

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