Wake The Welcome Day Appeareth

For Advent

Words: “Auf! auf! weil der Tag erschienen,”

Johan Anastasius Freylinghausen (1670-1739)

Translation by Frances Elizabeth Cox, 1841

Source: Frances Elizabeth Cox, Sacred Hymns from the German (London: William Pickering, 1841), p. 3.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him: we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Isaiah 25:9

1. Wake! the welcome day appeareth,
How with joy our hearts it cheereth!
Wake! the Lord's great year behold!
That which holy men of old,
Those who throng the sacred pages,
Waited for through countless ages;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

2. Now the wish'd for morning breaketh;
Hark! how Sion's daughter waketh
Shouts of joy and jubilee,
Thus his advent-dawn to see:
King and Bridegroom she enthrones Him,
Though 'tis but a remnant owns Him;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

3. Patriarchs erst and priests aspiring,
Kings and prophets long desiring,
Saw not this before they died:
Lo! the Light to them denied!
See its beams to earth directed!
Welcome, O Thou long-expected!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

4. He, the Saviour sent by Heaven,
Once through faith to Abram given,
Israel's Son and glorious King,
Home to which the heathen cling,
Now on earth with men abiding,
Comes to Zion meekly riding;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

5. Lo! He comes, a victim willing,
All his Father's will fulfilling;
He will, through his precious blood,
All things once again make good,
Pain and shame of death sustaining,
What was lost with joy regaining;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

6. In our stead Himself He offers,
On th' accursed tree He suffers,
That his death's sweet savour may
Take our curse for aye away,
Cross and curse for us enduring,
Hope and heaven to us securing;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

7. Moses' law no longer rules us,
Christ's free Spirit gently schools us;
Ended now our captive thrall,
He who God obeys in all,
Through his Saviour's death and merit,
Now enjoys adoption's spirit;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

8. Rent the temple curtain's centre,
Fearless each may strive to enter,
Through the veil, the holy place,
There to stand before His face;
He who once came down from heaven,
Fear from all our breasts hath driven;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

9. Therefore, songs triumphant raising,
Zion, still your King be praising;
Praises sing with mouth and heart,
In his reign thou'lt bear thy part;
Come, thyself as offering bringing,
Come, thou Bride, for ever singing,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Note:

Also occurs in the second, revised edition of this work, Hymns from the German (1864), p. 23. The refrain is changed to “Alleluia ! Alleluia !” Verse 9 is changed to:

Hence thy King, O Zion, praising,
Heart and voice to Him upraising,
Shout with joy, for once thou art
In His Reign to bear thy part.
Come, thyself as offering bringing,
Come, thou Bride, for ever singing,
Alleluia ! Alleluia !

See also: Wake! The Welcome Day Appeareth (verses from George Woodward, with music).

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