1 Wistful are our waiting eyes, as of them who saw Him rise,
from that mountain to the skies, when the holy angels cried,
giving tidings of good cheer: "Jesus shall again appear."

2 Thus we wait an angel's cry, piercing earthward from the sky:
"Now behold your Lord is near!" Who shall stand when He appears,
when the Judge with dread array comes for universal sway?

3 Trumpet-like, His voice will sweep, heard by those who wake or sleep:
heard in life by those who wait, those who entered through the gate;
heard in death through every tomb, those who chose the way of doom.

4 As the fish are sorted when all the nets are gathered in,
so it shall be on that day, casting these from those away:
"Come," shall be the blessing said; "Go," shall be the cursing dread.

5 Lord, now dwell in us, we pray, that, in the dividing day,
in your blessed hope we're found, standing on Christ's solid ground.
So, we blend till Thou appear, holy joy with holy fear!