Comfort, comfort ye My people,
Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning ’neath their sorrow’s load;
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell her that her sins I cover,
And her warfare now is over.

For the herald’s voice is crying
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance,
Since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way!
Let the valleys rise to meet Him,
And the hills bow down to greet Him.

Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved His anger
He will no more see nor heed.
She has suffered many a day,
Now her griefs have passed away,
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever springing gladness.

Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain:
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits His holy reign,
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er the earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall see the token
That His Word is never broken.

Safe home, safe home in port!
Rent cordage, shattered deck,
Torn sails, provisions short,
And only not a wreck;
But oh! the joy upon the shore
To tell our voyage—perils o’er!

The prize, the prize secure!
The athlete nearly fell;
Bare all he could endure,
And bare not always well;
But he may smile at troubles gone
Who sets the victor-garland on.

No more the foe can harm;
No more of leaguered camp,
And cry of night alarm,
And need of ready lamp;
And yet how nearly he had failed—
How nearly had that foe prevailed!

The lamb is in the fold,
In perfect safety penned;
The lion once had hold,
And thought to make an end;
But One came by with wounded side,
And for the sheep the Shepherd died.

The exile is at home!
O nights and days of tears,
O longings not to roam,
O sins and doubts and fears;
What matters now grief’s darkest day?
The King has wiped those tears away

Draw nigh to Thy Jerusalem, O Lord,
Thy faithful people cry with one accord;
Ride on in triumph; Lord, behold we lay
Our passions, lusts, and proud wills in Thy way!

Thy road is ready; and Thy paths made straight,
With longing expectation seem to wait
The consecration of Thy beauteous feet,
And silently Thy promised advent greet!

Hosanna! welcome to our hearts! for here
Thou hast a temple, too, as Zion dear;
O enter in, dear Lord, unbar the door;
And in that temple dwell forevermore.

Heralds of Christ, who bear the King’s commands,
Immortal tidings in your mortal hands,
Pass on and carry swift the news you bring;
Make straight, make straight the highway of the King.

Through desert ways, dark fen and deep morass,
Through jungles, sluggish seas, and mountain pass,
Build now the road, and falter not, nor stay;
Prepare across the earth the King’s highway.

Where once the twisting trail in darkness wound,
Let marching feet and joyous song resound,
Where burn the funeral pyres, and censers swing,
Make straight, make straight the highway of the King.

Lord, give us faith and strength the road to build,
To see the promise of the day fulfilled,
When war shall be no more, and strife shall cease
Upon the highway of the Prince of Peace.

Out on the desert, looking, looking,
Sinner, ’tis Jesus looking for thee;
Tenderly calling, calling, calling,
Hither, thou lost one, O come unto Me.

Refrain

Jesus is looking, Jesus is calling,
Why dost thou linger, why tarry away?
Run to Him quickly, say to Him gladly,
Lord I am coming, coming today.

Still He is waiting, waiting, waiting,
O, what compassion beams in His eye,
Hear Him repeating, gently, gently,
Come to thy Savior, O, why wilt thou die?

Refrain

Lovingly pleading, pleading, pleading,
Mercy, though slighted, bears with thee yet;
Thou canst be happy, happy, happy,
Come, ere thy life-star forever shall set.

Refrain

Spirits in glory, watching, watching,
Long to behold thee safe in the fold;
Angels are waiting, waiting, waiting,
When shall thy story with rapture be told?

Refrain

Prepare the way, O Zion!
Ye awful deeps, rise high;
Sink low, ye towering mountains,
The Lord is drawing nigh;
The righteous King of glory,
Foretold in sacred story.

Refrain

O blest is He that came
In God the Father’s Name.

O Zion, He approacheth,
Thy Lord and King for aye!
Strew palms where He advanceth,
Spread garments in His way.
God’s promise faileth never,
Hosanna sound forever!

Fling wide thy portals, Zion
And hail thy glorious King;
His tidings of salvation
To every people bring,
Who, waiting yet in sadness,
Would sing His praise in gladness.

Refrain

He cometh not with warriors,
And not with pomp and show,
Yet smiteth He with terror
Sin, death, and every foe.
The Spirit’s sword He wieldeth,
Not e’en to death He yieldeth.

Refrain

Give heed, thou sinful people,
Thy King and Savior own;
The kingdom He hath founded
Is not an earthly one;
No power can overthrow it,
Nor earthly wisdom know it.

Refrain

The throne which He ascendeth
Is fixed in heaven above:
His sanctified dominion
Is light alone and love.
His praise be ever sounding
For grace and peace abounding.

Refrain

Jerusalem is fallen,
And closed its temple door;
Its sacrifices ended;
Its scepter is no more.
Christ’s kingdom never ceaseth,
Its glory still increaseth.

Refrain

Ye sons of men, oh, hearken:
Your heart and mind prepare;
To hail th’almighty Savior,
Oh sinners, be your care.
He Who of grace alone
Our Life and Light was given,
The promised Lord from Heaven,
Unto our world is shown.

Prepare the way before Him;
Prepare for Him the best.
Cast out whate’er offendeth
This great, this heav’nly Guest.
Make straight, make plain, the way:
The lowly valleys raising,
The heights of pride abasing,
His path all even lay.

The humble heart and lowly
God lifteth up on high;
Beneath His feet in anguish
The haughty soul shall lie.
The heart, sincere and right,
That heeds God’s invitation
And makes true preparation,
It is the Lord’s delight.

Prepare my heart, Lord Jesus,
Turn not from me aside,
And grant that I receive Thee
This blessèd Adventide.
From stall and manger low
Come Thou to dwell within me;
Loud praises will I sing Thee
And forth Thy glory show.