A Symphony of Sweet Delight
M. Justin Wainscott © Advent, 2008
Sound the notes that heaven hears,
And let them ring in sinners’ ears.
Sing the chorus sung above,
That echoes forth redeeming love.
Angels, join in harmony,
To make a joyous melody.
Silence all the noise of sin,
And let God’s symphony begin.
Strike the prophets’ hopeful chord,
And listen for the coming Lord.
Run the bow across their strings,
And hear their songs to Christ the King.
Ring the bells of virgin-birth!
Glory to God and peace on earth!
Like the shepherds, spread the word,
And let the angels’ news be heard.
Christ has come in grace divine,
A son in David’s royal line.
Born in David’s Bethlehem,
And born to free us from our sin.
Christ has come! Rejoice, rejoice!
Now’s the time to lift your voice,
And join with ev’ry tribe and race
In songs of God’s redeeming grace.
Ev’ry bar and ev’ry measure
Speaks of our abiding treasure:
Jesus, our Immanuel,
Who saves us from despair and hell.
Blow the horn of hope and peace!
The gospel sings of our release
From Satan’s damning, sinful ploys,
And all his wicked, evil noise.
Hear the gospel music play,
And let the Spirit have his way.
Let symphonic sounds impart,
To quicken ev’ry lifeless heart.
Feel the rhythm; hear the sounds,
When mercy sings and grace abounds.
Oh! the joyous orchestration,
Freeing us from condemnation.
Christ has come, and this we know,
A gracious gift he did bestow:
A symphony of sweet delight,
Where ev’ry note is played just right.
And oh! the joy to be displayed,
When this, the final note, is played:
Sound the trumpet; let it blast,
For, Christ’s return has come at last!