’Tis Come, the Time So Oft Foretold

’Tis come

the time so oft fore­told

The time eter­nal love fore­cast;

Four thou­sand years of hope have rolled

And God hath sent His Son at last;

Let Heav­en

let earth

adore the plan;

Glory to God

and grace to man!

To swains that watched their night­ly fold

Of low­ly lot

of low­ly mind

To these the tid­ings first were told

That spoke of hope for lost man­kind;

God gives His Son

no more He can;

Glory to God

and grace to man!

And well to shep­herds first ’tis known

The Lord of an­gels comes from high

In hum­blest as­pect like their own

Good Shep­herd

for His sheep to die:

O height and depth

which who shall span?

Glory to God

and grace to man!

Fain with those meek

those hap­py swains

Lord

I would hear that an­gel choir;

Till

ra­vished by ce­les­ti­al strains

My heart re­sponds with ho­ly fire:

That ho­ly fire Thy breath must fan;

Glory to God

and grace to man!