Lo, he comes with clouds descending

General information

Lo, he comes with clouds descending is a hymn by Charles Wesley, published as 'HYMN XXXIX' on pp32-33 of his Hymns of Intercession for all Mankind, Bristol: 1758. In that publication, the hymn is headed 'The same.', referring back to the heading 'Thy kingdom come!' associated with the text O when shall we supremely blest ('HYMN XXXVI', on pp29-30).

The text is similar to (and possibly a reworking by Wesley of) John Cennick's hymn Lo, he cometh, countless trumpets, published in the fifth edition of Cennick's Collection of Sacred Hymns in 1752.

Settings by composers (with tune names)

• Thomas Arne HELMSLEY
• Thomas Clark DRIFFIELD
• John Fawcett JUDGEMENT
• John Francis Wade, harm. Vincent Novello ST. THOMAS (aka GRAFTON)

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Anonymous — Lo, he comes with clouds descending
• William Billings — Hopkinton
• James P. Carrell — Judgment
• James P. Carrell — Watchman
• Thomas Clark — Lo, he comes with clouds descending (Burland)
• Samuel Holyoke — Sandusky

Text and translations

English text John Cennick 1752 1. Lo! He cometh, countless trumpets Blow before his bloody sign! Midst ten thousand saints and angels, See the crucified shine. Allelujah! Welcome, welcome bleeding Lamb! 2. Now His merits by the harpers, Through the eternal deeps resounds! Now resplendent shine his nail-prints, Every eye shall see his wounds! They who pierced him, Shall at His appearing wail. 3. Every island, sea, and mountain, Heaven and earth shall flee away! All who hate Him must, ashamed, Hear the trump proclaim His day: Come to judgment! Stand before the Son of Man! 4. All who love Him view his glory, Shining in his bruised face: His dear person on the rainbow, Now his people's heads shall raise: Happy mourners! Now on clouds he comes! he comes! 5. Now redemption, long expected, See, in solemn pomp appear: All his people, once despised, Now shall meet him in the air: Allelujah! Now the promised kingdom's come! 6.View Him smiling, now determined Every evil to destroy! All the nations now shall sing Him Songs of everlasting joy! O, come quickly! Allelujah! come Lord, come!

Charles Wesley 1758 Lo, he comes with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain; Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of his train. Hallelujah, God appears on earth to reign. Every eye shall now behold him, Rob'd in dreadful majesty: Those who set at naught and sold him, Pierced and nailed him to the tree, Deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see. The dear tokens of his passion Still his dazzling body bears, Cause of endless exultation To his ransom'd worshippers: With what rapture Gaze we on those glorious scars! Yea! Amen, let all adore thee, High on thy eternal throne; Saviour, take the pow'r and glory, Claim the kingdom for thine own! Jah, Jehovah, Everlasting God, come down!

Martin Madan, 1760 w 1. Lo! He comes with clouds descending, w Once for favored sinners slain! w Thousand thousand saints attending, w Swell the triumph of his train: w Hallelujah! m Hallelujah! Amen! w 2. Every eye shall now behold him, w Robed in dreadful majesty; w Those who set at naught and sold him, w Pierced, and nailed him to the Tree, w Deeply wailing, w Shall the True Messiah see. c 3. Every island, sea, and mountain, c Heaven and earth shall flee away; c All who hate him, must, confounded, c Hear the trump proclaim the day: c Come to judgment! m Come to judgment! come away! c 4. Now redemption long expected, c See! in solemn pomp appear! c All his saints, by man rejected, c Now shall meet him in the air! c Hallelujah! m See the day of God appear! x 5. Answer thine own bride and spirit, x Hasten, Lord, the general doom! x The new heaven and earth to inherit, x Take thy pining exiles home: x All creation x Travails! groans! and bids thee come! w 6. Yea! Amen! Let all adore thee, w High on thine eternal throne! w Savior, take the power and glory; w Claim the kingdom for thine own! c O come quickly! c Hallelujah! Come, Lord, come! _____________________ w = Wesley, c = Cennick, m = Madan, x = Wesley Hymn 38

External links

• Transcript of C. Wesley 1758 publication at Duke.edu