Behold, What Light Rolls Back the Sky?

Behold, what light rolls back the sky?

Author: Joshua F. Drake (2004)
Tune: FRANÇAIS
Published in 1 hymnal

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. Behold, what light rolls back the sky?
What fear and trepidation!
The trumpets blast a vict’ry cry
For ransomed congregations.
And leading them, their sovereign head,
Is Christ the judge of quick and dead,
Demanding exultation.

2. No doubt or atheistic thought
Shall then deny God’s power.
Those who against his gospel fought
Shall wail and gnash and cower.
For those who claim they could not know,
Creation’s witness here below
Condemns them in that hour.

3. The spirit-called and blood-redeemed
Shall have full vindication,
Enjoying God with bliss undreamed
In holy consummation.
And those that sleep in Christ, who rise
With flesh made new before their eyes,
Receive glorification.

4. Then let our voice erupt in song
In prayer for His returning.
Be pleased, Lord, not to tarry long
To end creation’s yearning.
Acquitted at your judgment seat,
We’ll cast our crowns before your feet—
Not ours but Christ’s the earning.

Author: Joshua F. Drake

Born: Sep­tem­ber 27, 1979, Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see. Drake grew up on 40 acres of land that had been in his fam­i­ly for three gen­er­a­tions. While stu­dy­ing Sac­red Mu­sic at Un­ion Un­i­ver­si­ty in Jack­son, Ten­nes­see, he be­came in­ter­est­ed in sus­tain­ing the church’s hym­no­dy, and de­vel­oped a love for po­e­try. In 2001, he went to pur­sue post­grad­u­ate stu­dies in Mu­sic­ol­o­gy at the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Glas­gow, Scot­land, where he grad­u­at­ed with a M.Mus. in 2003. As of 2006, he was pur­su­ing his Ph.D. on late 15th Cen­tu­ry La­tin mo­tets. He teach­es Hu­man­i­ties and Mu­sic The­o­ry at Grove Ci­ty Col­lege, Penn­syl­van­ia, and wor­ships at… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Behold, what light rolls back the sky?
Title: Behold, What Light Rolls Back the Sky?
Author: Joshua F. Drake (2004)
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7
Language: English
Notes: Alternate tune: NUN FREUT EUCH, Martin Luther, 1535
Copyright: Released to the Public Domain

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #450
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The Cyber Hymnal #450

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