Jesu, Our Captain and Our King

Jesu

our cap­tain and our king

Adorable de­fend­er;

Now comes the night on ebon wing

And us to sleep we ren­der.

Still rest we

Je­su

in Thy name

Our keep­er and our guard;

And wake­ful thus in spir­it claim

The watch­er’s blest re­ward.

At noon of night

by Gos­pel voice

The Bride­groom is pro­claimed;

He comes

in Him let all re­joice

By whom Heav’n’s realm is fram­èd.

Forth haste the ho­ly maid­en bands

To meet His com­ing state;

Bearing their bright lamps in their hands

Joying with glad­ness great.

The fooli­sh bide the gate be­fore

And hold their lamps long quench­èd;

Smiting in vain that pal­ace door

Whose bolts will ne’er be wrench­èd.

Then watch we and in spir­it stand

With pa­no­ply com­plete;

That we

when Christ shall be at hand

Go forth our Lord to greet.

At noon of night its warn­ing thus

Doth voice of seer de­li­ver;

Be praise un­to the Lord from us—

To Sire and Son for­ev­er.

And to the Ho­ly Ghost be praise;

For per­fect Tri­ni­ty

Of sub­stance one

by us al­ways

Shall be praised and laud­ed be.