This hymn is new to me. I’ve never sung it before and was delighted to make it’s acquaintance this morning. I do wonder what the missing six verses were like. Anyways, it’s been translated from German and I think it’s a good hymn. You’ll have to let me know what you think?
Lyrics:
By: Laurentius Laurentii, 1660-1722
The evening is advancing, And darker night is near.
The bridegroom is arising And soon is drawing nigh.
Up, pray and watch and wrestle; At midnight comes the cry.
Go forth as He approaches With alleluias clear.
The marriage feast is waiting; The gates wide open stand.
Arise, O heirs of glory; The bridegroom is at hand.
Shall live and reign forever When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory The Lamb they shall behold;
In triumph cast before Him Their diadems of gold.
Arise, O Sun so longed for, Over this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted, We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption That sets Your people free!
Written by Laurentius Laurentii, 1660-1722. He was the son Herr Lorenz (Laurenti) who was a burgess of Husum in Schleswig, Germany. He was educated in the field of music and went on to become the cantor and director of music at the cathedral church in Bremen.
Laurenti was one of the best hymn-writers of the
Pietistic school. His hymns are founded on the Gospels for Sundays and
Festivals, and they draw out the bearing on the Christian life of the
leading thoughts therein contained. They are of noble simplicity; are
Scriptural, fervent, and often of genuine poetical worth.(source)
This
cento is from a hymn of ten stanzas by Laurentius Laurenti. It is his finest
hymn and emphasizes our Lord’s Second Advent. The hymn was published in the
author’s Evangelica Melodica, 1700, entitled “for the 27th Sunday
after Trinity.” (source)
I really liked this rendition