Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling

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Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling

Author: Philipp Nicolai; Translator: F. Crawford Burkitt
Tune: WACHET AUF (Nicolai)
Published in 11 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 Wake, O wake! With tidings thrilling
the watchmen all the air are filling,
arise, Jerusalem, arise!
Midnight strikes! No more delaying,
'The hour has come!' we hear them saying,
'where are ye all, ye virgins wise?
The Bridegroom comes in sight,
raise high your torches bright!'
Alleluia!
The wedding song swells loud and strong:
go forth and join the festal throng.

2 Zion hears the watchmen shouting,
her heart leaps up with joy undoubting,
she stands and waits with eager eyes;
see her Friend from heaven descending,
adorned with truth and grace unending!
Her light burns clear, her star doth rise.
Now come, thou precious Crown,
Lord Jesus, God's own Son!
Alleluia!
Let us prepare to follow there,
where in thy supper we may share.

3 Every soul in thee rejoices;
from earth and from angelic voices
be glory given to thee alone!
Now the gates of pearl receive us,
thy presence never more shall leave us,
we stand with angels round thy throne.
Earth cannot give below
the bliss thou dost bestow.
Alleluia!
Grant us to raise, to length of days,
the triumph-chorus of thy praise.

Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #54

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Author: Philipp Nicolai

Philipp Nicolai (b. Mengeringhausen, Waldeck, Germany, 1556; d. Hamburg, Germany, 1608) lived an eventful life–he fled from the Spanish army, sparred with Roman Catholic and Calvinist opponents, and ministered to plague-stricken congregations. Educated at Wittenberg University, he was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1583 in the city of Herdecke. However, he was soon at odds with the Roman Catholic town council, and when Spanish troops arrived to reestablish Roman dominance, Nicolai fled. In 1588 he became chief pastor at Altwildungen and court preacher to Countess Argaretha of Waldeck. During that time Nicolai battled with Calvinists, who disagreed with him about the theology of the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. These doctri… Go to person page >

Translator: F. Crawford Burkitt

Burkitt, Francis Crawford, M.A., son of Crawford Burkitt, was born in London, Sept. 3, 1864, and educated at Harrow and at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. 1886, M.A. 1889). In 1905, though a layman, he was appointed Norrisian Professor of Divinity at Cambridge. He has been a Fellow of the British Academy since 1904, and is the author of various works on Biblical Criticism and Early Church History. He contributed two translations (12, 194) to the English Hymnal, 1906. [Rev. James Mearns. M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) Go to person page >

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First Line:	Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling
Author:	Philipp Nicolai
Translator:	F. Crawford Burkitt
Language:	English
Publication Date:	2000
Copyright:	Public Domain