I know the season of Advent is a good way off, but I'm thinking my collection of original hymns could use one for each Sunday of the church year and Advent seems like a good place to start. (Mind you, I've already done hymns for all the Sundays in Lent and the Easter season.) Advent's an easy season to get through (only four Sundays) and if I write them now, they'll be ready in plenty of time for my friends in hymnody to test-drive them in church later this year.Wake, Zion! Recognize
Your time is come! Arise,
Your Savior greeting!
Night-time is almost past;
His Day draws near at last;
This age is fleeting.
Wake, children of the light!
Put off the deeds of night,
Strife and debauching!
Leave fleshly lust for dead,
Putting on Christ instead,
Urgently watching!
Thus armored, Lord, we cry;
We lift our souls on high,
Your grace believing.
Let none who seek Your face
Be cast into disgrace;
Comfort our grieving!
Savior of Zion, rise!
Heal our sin-darkened eyes
With light forgiving!
Let us soon hear the voice
Of them who now rejoice,
In Your courts living!
Show us Your way till then,
That we may say Amen,
Your burden taking!
So help us bear Your name
That we may bless the same,
In glory waking!
Hosannah to the Lord,
To the incarnate Word
And to the Spirit!
O Blessed One who came
In God's almighty name,
Save all who fear it!
The Bible texts referenced in this hymn are from the historic propers for the day: Introit, Psalm 25:1-4; Epistle, Romans 13:11-14; and Gospel, Matthew 21:1-9. The tune I have in mind for this hymn is MEIN JESU, DER DU MICH, which traces back to a 1698 Darmstadt hymn-book that paired it with a 1692 text by Joh. Chr. Lange.
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