How shall I meet Thee? How my heart
Receive her Lord aright?
Desire of all the earth Thou art!
My hope, my sole delight!
Kindle the lamp, Thou Lord, alone,
Half-dying in my breast,
And make Thy gracious pleasure known
How I may greet Thee best.

Her budding boughs and fairest palms
Thy Zion strews around;
And songs of praise and sweetest psalms
From my glad heart shall sound.
My desert soul breaks forth in flowers,
Rejoicing in Thy fame;
And puts forth all her sleeping powers,
To honor Jesus’ Name.

In heavy bonds I languished long,
Thou com’st to set me free;
The scorn of every mocking tongue—
Thou com’st to honor me.
A heavenly crown wilt Thou bestow,
And gifts of priceless worth,
That vanish not as here below
The fading wealth of earth.

Nought, nought, dear Lord, has power to move
Thee from Thy rightful place,
Save that most strange and blessèd love
Wherewith Thou dost embrace
This weary world and all her woe,
Her load of grief and ill
And sorrow, more than man can know—
Thy love is deeper still.

O write this promise in your hearts,
Ye sorrowful, on whom
Fall thickening cares, while joy departs
And darker grows your gloom.
Despair not, for your help is near,
He standeth at the door
Who best can comfort you and cheer,
He comes, nor stayeth more.

Nor vex your souls with care, nor grieve
And labor longer thus,
As though your arm could ought achieve,
And bring Him down to us.
He comes, He comes with ready will
By pity moved alone,
To soothe our every grief and ill,
For all to Him are known.

Nor ye, O sinners, shrink aside,
Afraid to see His face,
Your darkest sins our Lord will hide
Beneath His pitying grace.
He comes, He comes, to save from sin,
And all its pangs assuage,
And for the sons of God to win
Their proper heritage.

Why heed ye then the craft and noise,
The fury of His foes?
Lo, in a breath the Lord destroys
All who His rule oppose.
He comes, He comes, as King to reign!
And earthly  powers may band
Against Him, yet they strive in vain,
His might may none withstand.

He comes to judge the earth, and ye
Who mocked Him, feel His wrath;
But they who loved and sought Him see
His light o’er all their path.
O Sun of Righteousness! arise,
And guide us on our way
To yon fair mansion in the skies
Of joyous cloudless day.

O Lord, how shall I meet You, how welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet You, my Hope, my heart’s Delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy, a lamp within my breast,
To do in spirit lowly all that may please You best.

Love caused Your incarnation, love brought You down to me;
Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling, that led you to embrace
In love all loves excelling our lost and fallen race.

A glorious crown You gave me, a treasure safe on high,
That will not fail nor leave me as earthly riches fly.
My heart shall bloom forever for You with praises new,
And from Your Name shall never withhold the honor due.

O how shall I receive Thee,
How meet Thee on Thy way;
Blest Hope of every nation,
My soul’s Delight and Stay?
O Jesus, Jesus, give me,
By Thine illuming light,
To know whate’er is pleasing
And welcome in Thy sight.

Thy Zion palms is strewing
With branches fresh and fair;
And every soul awaking,
Her anthem shall prepare;
Perpetual thanks and praises
Forth from our hearts shall spring;
And to Thy name the service
Of all our powers we bring.

O ye who sorrow, sinking
Beneath your grief and pain,
Rejoice in His appearing,
Who shall your souls sustain;
He comes, He comes with gladness!
How great is His good-will!
He comes, all grief and anguish
Shall at His Word be still.

Ye who with guilty terror
Are trembling, fear no more;
With love and grace the Savior
Shall you to hope restore:
He comes, who contrite sinners
Will with the children place,
The children of His Father,
The heirs of life and grace.

He comes, the Lord, to judgment;
Woe, woe to them who hate!
To those who love and seek Him
He opes the heavenly gate.
Come quickly, gracious Savior,
And gather us to Thee,
That in the light eternal
Our joyous home may be.

O how shall I receive Thee,
How greet Thee, Lord, aright?
All nations long to see Thee,
My Hope, my heart’s Delight!
O kindle, Lord, most holy,
Thy lamp within my breast,
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please Thee best.

Thy Zion palms is strewing,
And branches fresh and fair;
My heart, its powers renewing,
An anthem shall prepare.
My soul puts off her sadness
Thy glories to proclaim;
With all her strength and gladness
She fain would serve Thy Name.

I lay in fetters groaning,
Thou com’st to set me free;
I stood, my shame bemoaning,
Thou com’st to honor me.
A glory Thou dost give me,
A treasure safe on high,
That will not fail nor leave me
As earthly riches fly.

Love caused Thine incarnation
Love brought Thee down to me;
Thy thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling,
That led Thee to embrace,
In love all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race!

Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o’er joys departed,
And tremble at your doom:
He Who alone can cheer you,
Is standing at the door;
He brings His pity near you,
And bids you weep no more.