Hark the glad sound, the Savior comes, The Savior promised long;
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne And ev’ry voice a song.
He comes the pris’ners to release, In Satan’s bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst, The iron fetters yield.
He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray
And on the eyeballs of the blind To pour celestial day.
He comes the broken heart to bind, The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace T’enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, Thy welcome shall proclaim
And heaven’s eternal arches ring With Thy beloved name.
(The Lutheran Hymnal #66)
Hark? Does anyone uses that word anymore other than in a hymn or a Shakespeare play? But it is a good word for an Advent or Christmas hymn, and it is in several of them. It means “listen up,” “pay attention” “you are going to want to hear this.”
Like so many Advent hymns, this one speaks of the first coming of our Lord and His second coming as well. In both instances, we need to pay attention and can say it is indeed a glad sound to hear He is coming.
This little hymn affirms that the long-promised Savior will free us from Satan’s bondage. He comes with the treasure of grace, which is Good News for us all.
But what about that middle stanza That one was left out of the latest hymnal our church body published. Is this talking about His first coming or His second one? I think this is a good example of both/and. It is describing something historical while also pointing us to what will happen at the last day.
He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray
And on the eyeballs of the blind To pour celestial day.
Christ came as a man to a world of sin and went through it sinless. He already went through the “thickest films of vice” on our behalf. He suffered the consequences our sin demanded. He showed us who were blind in our trespasses a new day was dawning.
It will happen again. Scripture says it will get worse here on earth before our Lord returns. But He will come again. He will come through even thicker films of vice when He comes on the last day. And the new day He will show us then will be even brighter, the dawn of a new heaven and a new earth.
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne And ev’ry voice a song.
I’ll keep singing and try to keep my heart prepared to welcome Him.
