1 Lord, how shall I be meeting,

And how shall I embrace

Thee, earth’s desire, when greeting

My soul’s adorning grace!

O Jesus, Jesus holding

Thyself the flame in sight,

Show how, thy beam beholding,

I may, my Lord, delight.

2 Fresh palms thy Zion streweth,

And branches ever green,

And psalms my voice reneweth,

To raise my joy serene.

Such budding tribute paying,

My heart shall hymn thy praise,

Thy holy name obeying

With chiefest of my lays.

3 What hast thou left ungranted,

To give me glad relief?

When soul and body panted

In utmost depth of grief,

In hour of degradation,

Thy peace and pity smiled,

Then thou, my soul’s salvation,

Didst happy make thy child.

4 I lay in slavish mourning,

Thou cam’st to set me free;

I sank in shame and scorning,

Thou cam’st to comfort me.

Thou raised’st me to glory,

Bestowing highest good,

Not frail and transitory,

Like wealth on earth pursued.

5 Naught, naught did send thee speeding

From mansions of the skies,

But love all love exceeding,

Love able to comprise

A world in pangs despairing,

Weighed down with thousand woes

That tongue would fail declaring,

But love doth last inclose.

6 Grave on your heart this writing,

O band of mourners poor!

With pains and sorrows fighting,

That throng you more and more;

Dismiss the fear that sickens,

For lo! beside you see

Him who your heart now quickens

And comforts; here is he.

7 Why should you be detained

In trouble day and night,

As though he must be gained

By arm of human might?

He comes, he comes all willing,

All full of grace and love.

Those woes and troubles stilling,

Well known to him above.

8 Nor need ye tremble over

The guilt that gives distress.

No! Jesus all will cover

With grace and righteousness:

He comes, he comes, procuring

The peace of sin forgiven,

To all God’s sons securing

Their part and lot in heaven.

9 Why heed ye then the crying

Of crafty foemen nigh?

Your Lord shall send them flying

In twinkling of an eye.

He comes, he comes, forever

A King, and earth’s fell band

Shall prove in the endeavor

Too feeble to withstand.

10 He comes to judge the nations,

“Wroth if they wrathful prove,

With sweet illuminations

To those who seek and love.

Come, come, O Sun eternal,

And all our souls convey

To endless bliss supernal,

In yonder court of day.