The Bridegroom comes! My soul, awake

Translator: John Brownlie (1907)
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

I
The Bridegroom comes! My soul, awake,
And slumber from thine eyelids shake;
Hark! in the midnight hour the cry;
Bestir, my soul, for He is nigh.

II
Now trim your lamp, and let its light
Illume the darkness of the night;
And with the tarrying host attend
The Bridegroom, as the Bridegroom’s friend.

III
Hast thou no oil? O foolish soul!
Why didst thou not the hours control?
Why in the darkness slumber still,
Without the oil your lamp to fill?

IV
Go, get your oil,—but no, too late!
The Bridegroom’s come, and closed the gate;—
“O let me knock, for He is kind,
And will not leave my soul behind.”

V
“O let me in, my lamp’s aglow;
How could I, Lord, Thy coming know?
’Twas night, I slumbered,—let me in:
Forgive, O Lord, forgive my sin.”

VI
Too late! The time has gone apace;
Too late, ’tis gone, the hour of grace;
O soul of mine, awake, awake,
And slumber from thine eyelids shake.

Hymns from the East, 1907

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Translator: John Brownlie

Brownlie, John, was born at Glasgow, Aug. 6, 1857, and was educated at Glasgow University, and at the Free Church College in the same city. In 1884 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow; in 1885 he became Assistant Minister of the Free Church, Portpatrick, and on the death of the Senior Minister in 1890 he entered upon the full charge of the Church there. He has interested himself in educational matters, became a Member of the local School Board in 1888, a governor of Stranraer High School in 1897, and Chairman of the governors in 1901. His hymnological works are:— 1. The Hymns and Hymnwriters of the [Scottish] Church Hymnary, 1899. This is a biographical, historical, and critical companion to that hymnal, and is well done and… Go to person page >

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