1 Awake! awake! put on thy strength,
Church of the living God;
Shine forth! shine forth! thy light is come,
Its beams diffuse abroad;
To nations that in darkness wait,
Send forth thy heralds bold;
Till round the earth from pole to pole,
The tidings glad are told.
2 They plead, "Send help!" Our country’s sons,
From snow clad mount to sea;
"Send forth! send forth! the Bread of Life,"
O hear your brother’s plea;
And Asia’s millions join the cry,
With Afric’s starving throng,
While distant islands of the sea,
The plaintive cry prolong.
3 They come! they come! The ransomed ones,
Where’er on earth their homes;
Lift up! lift up! thine eyes and see,
At last thy triumph comes.
O glorious hour! the voice from Heav’n
Proclaims from shore to shore.
They kingdoms of this world are Christ’s,
He reigns forevermore.