The Chorale Book for England ‎#27

27. Awake, thou careless world, awake!

Awake, thou careless world, awake!
That final Judgment day will surely come;
What Heav'n hath fix'd no Time can shake,
Time never more shall sweep away thy doom.
Know what the Lord Himself hath spoken
Shall come at last and not delay:
Though heav'n and earth shall pass away,
His steadfast Word can ne'er be broken.

Awake! thou careless world, awake!
For none can tell how soon our God may please
That suddenly that day should break,
No human wisdom fathoms depths like these:
O flee earth's base delights and pride,
For as the bird is in the snare,
Or ever of its foe aware,
So comes that day so long denied.

Yet He in love delayeth long
That awful day, and grants the sinner space
To turn away from sin and wrong,
And mourning seek in time His love and grace.
He holdeth back that best of days
Until the righteous shall approve
Their faith and hope, their constant love;
So gentle us-ward are His ways!

And those found faithful then shall see
That glorious morning dawn in love and joy,
Their Saviour comes to set them free,
Their Judge Himself shall all their bonds destroy;
He the true Joshua then shall bring
His people with a mighty hand
Into their promised fatherland,
Where songs of victory they thall sing.

Arise, and let us night and day
Watch for our Lord, and study o'er His word,
And in the Spirit ever pray,
That we be ready when His call is heard;
Arise, and let us haste to meet
The Bridegroom standing at the door,
That with the angels evermore
We too may worship at His feet.

Text Information

• First Line: Awake, thou careless world, awake!
• Title: Awake, thou careless world, awake!
• German Title: Wach auf, wach auf, du sich're Welt
• Author: Rist (1651)
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1863

Tune Information

(No tune information)