Come Thou long expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child and yet a King;
Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
(Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Lutheran Service Book #338)
Another Advent Hymn for you consideration as you prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth again this year. This one was written by one of the most prolific hymn writers, Charles Wesley. A hymn that alludes to many Scripture passages in every phrase, it was written to reflect the dual purpose to the Advent season: remembering that Jesus came once as we pray and prepare for His coming again.
The repetition of the word “born” emphasizes that our Lord already came once, what we celebrate at Christmas. We should remember that God’s people waited for His first coming longer that we have been waiting for His return. But we can be assured that He will come again, because God is faithful to His promises. In our preparation for His long-expected return, we recall that He was born to:
- Set us free
- Release us from sin and fear
- Give us deliverance
- Be a child and a King
- Reign forever
I especially appreciate the grace-filled proclamation in the last line: “By thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.” Jesus came to do what we could not do, and earn what we could not earn. His merit is imputed to us through faith, which gives us the assurance of forgiveness and being raised to live in His presence forever.
Come, Lord Jesus, Come.
