The Day, The Dreadful Day, Draws Nigh

The day, the dreadful day draws nigh

Author (attributed to): Charles Wesley
Tune: MATLOCK (Wise)
Published in 1 hymnal

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 The day, the dreadful day draws nigh,
When God in judgment shall appear,
Shall by His laws His people try,
And prove with scrutiny severe
The sinners settled on their lees,
And punish all that dwell at ease.

2 The men whose hearts deny His love,
His guardian love and righteous sway,
Who say Secure He sits above,
And lets us each pursue our way,
Nor will He e’er our deeds regard,
Or punish mortals, or reward.

3 On these the Lord His wrath shall show,
And give them to the Waster’s power,
Stir up the fierce invading foe,
Their goods and houses to devour:
Houses they shall for others build,
And sow, but never reap the field.

4 For lo! the Lord’s great day is near,
Is near, and swiftly hastens on;
The mighty men shall cry for fear
And anguish while His wrath comes down,
While God the sacred panic darts
And speaks in thunder to their hearts.

5 Who can that awful day declare?
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of raging, wasteful war,
Of darkness, clouds and gloominess,
A day to join th’embattled powers,
And storm the forts, and shake the towers.

6 The Lord shall bring a sudden snare,
The wicked by His judgments blind;
Because His utmost plagues they dare
They here their punishment shall find;
Their blood shall be as dust poured forth,
Their carcasses shall dung the earth.

7 Not all their treasures shall redeem
Their lives in that tremendous day,
When God’s great jealousy shall flame
Vindictive, and devour its prey,
The land where in their sins they dwell
Burn up—burn after them to hell.

8 Turn then to God, ye sinners, turn,
Let every heart at once relent;
The whole devoted nation mourn,
By general grief the curse prevent;
In penitential sorrow join,
And deprecate the wrath divine.

9 Repent before the dire decree
Bring forth the irrevocable doom;
Before the day as chaff ye see
Pass by, before the vengeance come;
Before the Lord let loose His ire,
And make you fuel to the fire.

10 Or if the wicked will not hear,
Ye humble souls that keep His Word,
Ye meek ones of the earth, revere,
And seek with double zeal your Lord;
Walk on in all His righteous ways,
And labor for the perfect grace.

11 It may be God, the God ye love
Will hide you in His anger’s day,
Far off from you the sword remove—
Or if it sweeps your lives away,
Your souls with swifter motion driv’n
Shall in a whirlwind fly to Heav’n.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #11476

Author (attributed to): Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The day, the dreadful day draws nigh
Title: The Day, The Dreadful Day, Draws Nigh
Author (attributed to): Charles Wesley
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #11476
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

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The Cyber Hymnal #11476

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