Behold, He Comes, The Savior Comes

By Susanna Harrison

Lyrics

1. Behold, He comes, the Savior comes,
Dressed in His bright array;
Awake, ye saints, and burst your tombs,
And view the glorious day.

2. He comes, attended from on high
With thousands, through the skies,
His glory shines; and every eye
Shall see Him with surprise.

3. Lo, in the clouds the Judge descends
With His illustrious train;
He severs sinners from His friends,
And dooms to endless pain.

4. He comes to make His justice known,
To vindicate His word:
The guilty view Him on His throne,
And wail before the Lord.

5. Till now they never sought His face.
Nor wept for sin before:
O how tremendous is their case!
They weep to laugh no more.

6. Once they despised His glorious name,
And set at naught His worth;
But now they feel, with bitter shame,
His fierce, vindictive wrath.

7. They now behold the saints rejoice,
And mount above the skies;
These praise the Lamb, with cheerful voice,
And triumph as they rise.

8. Yes, and my soul shall bear her part
In their melodious song,
My Savior’s grace shall tune my heart,
His love inspire my tongue.

Bible Reference

Revelation 1:7

About This Hymn

"Behold, He Comes, the Savior Comes" is a Christian hymn written by Susanna Harrison in 1780. Harrison, an English working-class religious poet, published her collection Songs in the Night, which included this hymn. The hymn reflects the anticipation of Christ's second coming and the hope of eternal life. Harrison's work was widely recognized, with her collection going through at least twenty-one editions in Britain and America, making it one of the best-selling collections written by a laboring-class poet in the late eighteenth century.

The music for this hymn was composed by Howard Doane in 1884. Doane, an American composer known for his contributions to hymnody, set Harrison's lyrics to a melody that complements the solemn and hopeful tone of the text. The hymn has been included in various hymnals and continues to be sung in Christian communities, particularly during Advent and services focusing on the Second Coming of Christ.