Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus is an Advent hymn written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), younger brother of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of the movement which became the Methodist denomination. The Charles’ hymn text is a gentle prayer to the infant King to enter our hearts and raise us to heaven.

Hymn tunes most commonly used with the text include Hyfrydol (Rowland H. Prichard), Cross of Jesus (John Stainer), Halton Holgate (William Boyce), St. Hilary (anonymous), Stuttgart (Christian F. Witt), and Wilson (Felix Mendelssohn). The hymn text was originally written as two stanzas of eight lines each, appropriate for tunes like Hyfrydol. Even so, it has been set in other formats, such as in the tune Stuttgart, where the text is set as four stanzas of four lines each.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

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

"And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." -- Haggai 2:7 KJVB

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