167. Hymn for the 26th Sunday after Trinity

This would be the second-last Sunday of a church year with a full complement of 27 Sundays after Trinity, but Easter would have to land on or before April 2 for there to be even so many as 26. The Epistle is a toss-up between 2 Peter 3:3-14 or 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10. The Gospel is Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus depicts the final judgment in terms of separating the sheep from the goats. For the tune I self-borrowed again, slightly modifying the tune AMEN, AMEN I wrote in 2013 for this hymn, which happens to begin with the words "Amen, Amen." The fact that there's an "Amen, Amen" in the refrain of this hymn makes the choice of tune seem significant, but it actually came about by accident. I had already selected the tune for this hymn before I wrote the text. I originally meant there to be just one "Amen" in the refrain, with the second syllable slurred over five notes, like the first syllable of the word "glorify" in the other hymn. I realized this wasn't going to sound good in this case, so I decided to break up the five-note slur and stick in a second Amen.

The Son of Man will come with might,
Enthroned amid the sons of light,
When all the nations in His sight
Shall be divided, left from right:
Amen, Amen! Come quickly, Lord!

The King will turn His kindly face
To those found righteous by His grace
And say, “Come, brethren, take the place
Prepared since God designed your race!”
Amen, Amen! Come quickly, Lord!

“In aiding any in his need
You aided Me with loving deed,”
The King will say, as though to heed
Alone what works from faith proceed.
Amen, Amen! Come quickly, Lord!

But to the left He will proclaim
A curse, a banishment, a flame
With Satan’s ministers of shame,
Though they feel neither want nor blame.
Amen, Amen! Come quickly, Lord!

Redeemer Christ, root out the pride
Which on that day will be denied!
Grant us a heart that will confide
In You, who for our failings died!
Amen, Amen! Come quickly, Lord!

Now, pardoned of iniquities,
We bow to You our hearts and knees
Whom without faith no work can please;
Help us to serve the least of these!
Amen, Amen! Come quickly Lord!