Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying

Representative Text

1. "Wake, awake! for night is flying,"
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
"Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
"Oh, where are all you virgins wise?
The Bridegroom come, awake!
Your lamps with gladness take!
Alleluia!
With bridal care yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near."

2. Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with 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.
Now come, O blessed One,
Christ Jesus, God's own Son.
Hail! Hosanna!
We enter all the marriage hall
To eat the supper at your call.

3. Now let all the heav'ns adore you,
Let saints and angels sing before you
With harp and cymbal's clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, dwelling with the choir immortal,
We gather round your radiant throne.
No vision ever brought,
No ear has ever caught
Such great glory;
Therefore will we in victory
Sing hymns of praise eternally.

Source: Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #346

Author: Philipp Nicolai

Philipp Nicolai (b. Mengeringhausen, Waldeck, Germany, 1556; d. Hamburg, Germany, 1608) lived an eventful life–he fled from the Spanish army, sparred with Roman Catholic and Calvinist opponents, and ministered to plague-stricken congregations. Educated at Wittenberg University, he was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1583 in the city of Herdecke. However, he was soon at odds with the Roman Catholic town council, and when Spanish troops arrived to reestablish Roman dominance, Nicolai fled. In 1588 he became chief pastor at Altwildungen and court preacher to Countess Argaretha of Waldeck. During that time Nicolai battled with Calvinists, who disagreed with him about the theology of the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. These doctri… Go to person page >

Author: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Matt. 25:1-13, Isa. 52:1, 8
st. 2 = Rev. 22:16-20
st. 3 = Rev. 5:11-13, Rev. 21:21, Isa. 64:4, 1 Cor. 2:9

In 1597 the Westphalian (German) village where pastor Philipp Nicolai (PHH 357) lived experienced a terrible pestilence, which claimed some thirteen hundred lives in his parish alone. Nicolai turned from the constant tragedies and frequent funerals (at times he buried thirty people in one day) to meditate on "the noble, sublime doctrine of eternal life obtained through the blood of Christ." As he said, “This I allowed to dwell in my heart day and night and searched the Scriptures as to what they revealed on this matter.” Nicolai also read Augustine's City of God before he wrote this great Advent text and arranged its tune.

The original German text (“Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme”) and tune were published in Nicolai's collection of devotional poetry, Frewden-Spiegel dess ewigen Lebens (1599), with a title that read (translated into English), "Of the Voice at Midnight and the Wise Virgins who meet their Heavenly Bridegroom." Catherine Winkworth's (PHH 194) English translation was published in her Lyra Germanica (1858). The Psalter Hymnal includes that translation as altered in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978).

The parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) was the inspiration for stanzas 1 and 2, and John's visions of the glory of Christ and the new Jerusalem (Rev. 19, 21, and 22) provide the basis for stanza 3. Erik Routley (PHH 31) says this hymn is filled with "pageantry, energy, light, color, and expectancy"; it is surely a great hymn about the joyful anticipation of Christ's coming again, and one that brings comfort and hope to Christians in all situations.

Liturgical Use:
Advent; other times when our eyes of faith long for the return of Christ; with preaching on Matthew 25.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1987

Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
The Cyber Hymnal #7103
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #613
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
The United Methodist Hymnal #720
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
Worship and Rejoice #164

Instances

Instances (1 - 27 of 27)

A New Hymnal for Colleges and Schools #211

Text

Christian Worship (1993) #206

Text

Christian Worship #486

TextPage Scan

Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #278

Credo Hymnal #96

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #544

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #286

Text

Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #346

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #278

Hymns Old and New #529

TextPage Scan

Hymns to the Living God #97

Text

Lutheran Service Book #516

Text

Lutheran Worship #177

TextPage Scan

Moravian Book of Worship #258

TextPage Scan

Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #218

Text InfoTune InfoTextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #613

TextPage Scan

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #210

The Book of Common Praise of the Reformed Episcopal Church #2

The Covenant Hymnal #121

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #7103

The Summit Choirbook #10

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

The United Methodist Hymnal #720

TextPage Scan

The Worshiping Church #131

Text

Together in Song #266

TextPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #317

TextPage Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #383

TextScoreAudioPage Scan

Worship and Rejoice #164

Include 188 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.