Behold the Bridegroom (Schell)

We’re near­ing the clos­ing

Of time’s mor­tal year

God’s king­dom doth now

As ten vir­gins ap­pear

Who are go­ing for­ward

The Bride­groom to meet

With lamps trimmed and burn­ing

To di­rect their feet.

Behold

the Bride­groom com­eth

Behold

the Bride­groom com­eth

Behold

the Bride­groom com­eth

Go ye out to meet Him.

With oil in their ves­sels

The wise for­ward go

Their lamps shin­ing bright

And their hearts white as snow;

They’re rea­dy each mo­ment

To wel­come the Lord

Who short­ly is com­ing

To take them to God.

The fool­ish go for­ward

Without any oil

They’re just as con­tent­ed

As those who have oil.

They trust in the fu­ture

The oil to sup­ply

They’ll wake soon to find

That their lamps are burned dry.

Lo now

just at mid­night

The watch­man they hear

Awake from your slum­bers

The Bride­groom is near;

The fool­ish to trim their lamps

Quickly arise

Our lamps are gone out

They all cry in sur­prise.

The fool­ish to wise say

Give us of your oil;

Not so

lest there not

Be enough for us all;

Go ye to the mer­chants

And buy for your­selves.

Alas

’tis too late

They have just ceased to sell.

Lo

now comes the Bride­groom

With an­gel­ic host

All those who are rea­dy

Go into the feast;

The door be­ing closed

Comes the fool­ish to knock

Depart

saith the Lord

I in­deed know you not.