Awake, ye that slumber,
Awake from your sleep,
With lamps trimmed and burning,
A watch you must keep,
You know not how quickly,
The cry you may hear,
Go forth to meet the Bridegroom,
For lo, He is near.

Refrain

Behold, He cometh,
The blessèd Bridegroom cometh,
Then go ye forth to meet Him,
A glad and grateful throng.
Behold, He cometh,
The blessèd Bridegroom cometh,
Then go ye forth to meet Him,
With a happy, happy song.

Awake, ye that slumber,
His welcome prepare.
Awake and be ready,
His banquet to share.
The hour is approaching,
No time for repose,
The open door of mercy,
Forever may close.

Refrain

Awake, ye that slumber,
No longer despise
The warning that bids you
Be watchful and wise.
The Bridegroom may tarry,
But true to His word,
Your blessèd call to meet Him
Will surely be heard.

Refrain

We shall hear a voice, an immortal voice,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”
At the midnight watch, in the darkness deep,
When across our souls heavy slumbers creep,
We shall hear that voice, that immortal voice,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”

Refrain

Oh, be ready when the Bridegroom comes!
Oh, be ready when the Bridegroom comes!
At the noontide, In the evening,
At the midnight, in the morning,
Oh, be ready, Oh, be ready,
Oh, be ready when the Bridegroom comes!

Refrain

When the voice shall cry, “Go ye forth tonight,
Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”
Then the pulse will cease, and the heart grow still,
And the eyes will close, and the blood grow chill,
And the soul will take its eternal flight,
“For lo, the Bridegroom comes!”

Refrain

Brother, trim your lamp, have it burning bright,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”
He will surely come, though He seemeth late,
Be at peace with Him, nor a moment wait,
You will hear the cry ere the morning light,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”

Refrain

Hast thou made a vow? hasten ye to pay,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”
For when He has come, and hath closed the door,
And ye stand and pray, “Open, we implore,”
It will be too late—pay your vows today,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”

Refrain

Our lamps are trimmed and burning,
Our robes are white and clean;
We’ve tarried for the Bridegroom,
Oh, may we enter in?
We know we’ve nothing worthy
That we can call our own—
The light, the oil, the robes we wear,
Are all from Him alone.

Refrain

Behold the Bridegroom cometh!
And all may enter in
Whose lamps are trimmed and burning
Whose robes are white and clean.

Go forth, go forth to meet Him,
The way is open now,
All lighted with the glory
That’s streaming from His brow.
Accept the invitation
Beyond deserving kind;
Make no delay, but take your lamps,
And joy eternal find.

Refrain

We see the marriage splendor
Within the open door;
We know that those who enter
Are blest forevermore.
We see His is more lovely
Than all the sons of men,
But still we know the door, once shut,
Will never ope again.

Refrain

Bride of the Lamb, awake, awake!
Why sleep for sorrow now?
The hope of glory, Christ, is thine,
A child of glory thou.

Thy spirit, through the lonely night,
From earthly joy apart,
Hath sighed for One that’s far away—
The Bridegroom of thy heart.

But see! the night is waning fast,
The breaking morn is near;
And Jesus comes, with voice of love,
Thy drooping heart to cheer.

He comes—for oh, His yearning heart
No more can bear delay—
To scenes of full unmingled joy
To call His bride away.

Then weep no more; ’tis all thine own
His crown, His joy divine;
And, sweeter far than all beside,
He, He Himself is thine!

The Bridegroom soon will call us,
Come, all ye wedding guests!
May not His voice appall us,
While slumber binds our breasts;
May all our lamps be burning,
And oil be found in store,
That we, with Him returning,
May open find the door.

There shall we see delighted
Our dear Redeemer’s face,
Who leads our souls benighted
To glory by His grace;
The patriarchs shall meet us,
The prophets’ holy band,
Apostles, martyrs, greet us
In that celestial land.

They will not blush to own us
As brothers, sisters dear,
Love ever will be shown us
When we with them appear;
We all shall come before Him,
Who for us Man became,
As Lord and God adore Him,
And ever bless His Name.

Our Father, rich in blessing,
Will give us crowns of gold
And, to His bosom pressing,
Impart a bliss untold,
Will welcome with embraces
Of never ending love,
And deck us with His graces
In blissful realms above.

In yonder home shall never
Be silent music’s voice;
With hearts and lips forever
We shall in God rejoice;
The angels shall adore Him,
All saints shall sing His praise,
And bring with joy before Him
Their sweetest heav’nly lays.

In mansions fair and spacious
Will God the feast prepare,
And ever kind and gracious,
Bid us its riches share;
There bliss that knows no measure
From springs of love shall flow,
And never changing pleasure
His bounty will bestow.

Thus God shall from all evil
Forever make us free,
From sin, and from the devil,
From all adversity,
From sickness, pain, and sadness,
From troubles, cares, and fears,
And grant us heavenly gladness
And wipe away our tears.

The Lord is coming by and by,
Be ready when He comes;
He comes from His fair home on high,
Be ready when He comes;
He is the Lord our Righteousness,
And comes His chosen ones to bless,
And at His Father’s throne confess;
Be ready when He comes.

Refrain

Will you be ready when the Bridegroom comes?
Will you be ready when the Bridegroom comes?
Will your lamps be trimmed and bright,
Be it morning, noon or night?
Will you be ready when the Bridegroom comes?

He soon will come to earth again,
Be ready when He comes;
Begin His universal reign,
Be ready when He comes;
With hallelujahs Heav’n will ring,
When Jesus does redemption bring;
O trim your lamps to meet your King!
Be ready when He comes.

Refrain

Behold! He comes to one and all,
Be ready when He comes;
He quickly comes with trumpet call,
Be ready when He comes;
To judgment called at His command,
Drawn thither by His mighty hand,
Before His throne we all must stand;
Be ready when He comes.

Refrain

O Bride of Christ, rejoice!
Exultant raise thy voice
To hail the day of glory,
Foretold in sacred story.

Refrain

Hosanna, praise and glory,
Our King, we bow before Thee.

Let shouts of gladness rise
Triumphant to the skies.
Here comes the King most glorious
To reign o’er all victorious

Refrain

He wears no kingly crown
Yet as a king He’s known;
Though not arrayed in splendor,
He still makes death surrender.

Refrain

The weak and timid find
How meek He is and kind;
To them He gives a treasure
Of bliss beyond all measure.

Refrain

Thy heart now open wide,
Bid Christ with thee abide;
He graciously will hear thee,
And be forever near thee.

Refrain

Then go thy Lord to meet;
Strew palm leaves at His feet;
Thy garments spread before Him
And honor and adore Him.

Refrain

E’en babes with one accord
With thee shall praise the Lord,
And every gentile nation
Respond with exultation.

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
Will your lamps be burning bright,
Will your robes be pure and white,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by?

Refrain

Oh be ready! Oh be ready!
Ready when the Bridegroom comes;
Oh be ready! Oh be ready!
Ready when the Bridegroom comes.

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
Oh be ready for that day,
With your sins all washed away,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by.

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
Will your wearied heart rejoice
At the sound of Jesus’ voice,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by?

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
Will the sorrows of the past
All be changed to joy at last
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by?

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Lord shall call His own,
Can you stand before the throne,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by?

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by,
Will you join the ransomed host,
Or be found among the lost,
When the Bridegroom cometh by and by?

Refrain

Praise, my soul, the Lord in glory
For His boundless grace!
For His Word, the sacred story,
That His love conveys!
I its truth embrace.

Christ has all my sins forgiven,
Peace and light bestowed.
He thro’ sin and death was driven,
And made way to God.
He made way to God.

None can justly now me censure,
Christ me chose for bride.
To His loving heart I venture,
Hiding at His side;
At His loving side.

Now, my heart, be full of gladness,
Sing with joyful sound!
Let your cheer subdue all sadness;
May your joy abound;
Let your joy resound!

When our Bridegroom comes from glory
We no joy will miss!
All the saved He’ll give, as dowry,
His eternal bliss;
Yes, eternal bliss!

Rejoice, ye saints! the time draws near
When Christ will in the clouds appear,
And for His people call.

Refrain

Trim your lamps, and be ready,
Trim your lamps, and be ready,
Trim your lamps, and be ready
For the midnight cry.
For the midnight cry,
For the midnight cry,
Trim your lamps and be ready,
For the midnight cry.

The trumpet sounds, the thunders roll;
The heavens passing as a scroll;
The earth will burn with fire.

Refrain

Poor sinners then on earth will cry,
While lightnings flash from out the sky,
“O mountains, on us fall!”

Refrain

Come, brethren all, and let us try
To warn poor sinners, and to cry,
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes!”

Refrain