Wake, Awake for Night is Flying
Wake, Awake for Night is Flying
1 Wake, awake, for night is flying,
the watchmen on the heights are crying;
awake, Jerusalem, at last.
Midnight hears the welcome voices,
and at the thrilling cry rejoices:
“Come forth, you maidens! Night is past.
The bridegroom comes! Awake;
your lamps with gladness take!”
Alleluia!
Prepare yourselves to meet the Lord,
whose light has stirred the waiting guard.
2 Zion hears the watchmen singing,
and in her heart new joy is springing.
She wakes, she rises from her gloom,
for her Lord comes down all-glorious,
the strong in grace, in truth victorious.
Her star is ris’n; her light is come.
Oh, come, you Blessed One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son.
Sing hosanna!
We go until the halls we view
where you have bid us dine with you.
3 Now let all the heav’ns adore you,
and saints and angels sing before you.
The harps and cymbals all unite.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
where, dwelling with the choir immortal,
we gather round your dazzling light.
No eye has seen, no ear
has yet been trained to hear,
what joy is ours!
Crescendos rise; your halls resound;
hosannas blend in cosmic sound.
Text: Philipp Nicolai, 1556-1608; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878, alt. Public Domain
This hymn is used for Advent and has a lovely melody especially when sung by a choir or group of voices. However, I will admit , it is not for me a hymn that evokes a feeling of Advent or Christmas. The most obvious reference to Advent for me is the wake up alarm to be ready, as something extraordinary is happening. So I went searching for how this song became a part of Advent. It tells the story from Matthew 25:1-13 of the maidens who were to prepare their lamps for the arrival of the bridegroom but only some were prepared and the others were not able to attend the wedding. The parable teaches us we need to be prepared for the second coming of Christ and there will be rejoicing here and in heaven for his arrival but we must be prepared. Therefore the initial arrival of Christ is presumed and that maybe is the connection to Advent. There is a promise that Christ will come, and will come again,so we must be ready, be prepared as followers of Christ. So this hymn tells of anticipation which is Advent. Following in Christ’s love and grace and being prepared for his coming is our present day Advent as we celebrate this special season of Advent and Christ’s birth.
Prayer: Lord, help us to follow in Christ not just during this Advent season but in our day to day , year to year lives. Help us to focus on the needs of those around us, with patience and care, so that Christ is visible in us, and we are truly prepared for Christ to come again.
I noted that this devotion is for December 9th, which was my dad’s birthday. Born in 1908 and died in 1990, he was a good Christian man who believed in eternal life through Jesus Christ