Great God, What do I See and Hear? - #604

"Great God, What do I See and Hear?"
by William B. Collyer, 1782-1854; stanzas 2-4
author unknown, stanza 1

Tune - Es ist gewisslich - linked here

1. Great God, what do I see and hear?
The end of things created;
The Judge of mankind doth appear
On clouds of glory seated.
The trumpet sounds; the graves restore
The dead which they contained before:
Prepare, my soul, to meet Him.

2. The dead in Christ shall first arise
At that last trumpet's sounding,
Caught up to meet Him in the skies,
With joy their Lord surrounding.
No gloomy fears their souls dismay;
His presence sheds eternal day
On those prepared to meet Him.

3. But sinners, filled with guilty fears,
Behold His wrath prevailing,
For they shall rise and find their tears
And sighs are unavailing;
The day of grace is past and gone;
They trembling stand before his throne,
All unprepared to meet Him.

4. O Christ, who diedst and yet dost live,
To me impart Thy merit;
My pardon seal, my sins forgive,
And cleanse me by Thy Spirit.
Beneath Thy cross I view the day
When heav'n and earth shall pass away,
And thus prepare to meet Thee.

Hymn #604
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
Author: unknown, 1802; stanza 1
Autho: William B. Collyer, 1812, alt.; stanzas 2-4
Tune: "Es ist gewisslich"
Published in: Geistliche Lieder
Town: Wittenberg, 1535