JESUS CHRIST >> SECOND ADVENT
SDAH 210
Wake, awake, for night is flying,
The watchmen on the heights are crying,
Awake, Jerusalem, arise!
Midnight’s solemn hour is tolling,
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For Worship Leaders
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Hymn Spotlight: Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying
Philip Nicolai penned both text and tune during the plague of 1597, ministering hope in the face of death. Based on the parable of the ten virgins, it calls us to be ready for the coming Bridegroom. With its rich harmonies and history, WACHET AUF is a chorale of watchful joy. Let us rise and trim our lamps—Jesus is near!
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
Both words and music of this hymn were by Philip Nicolai (1556-1608; see SDAH 18), a most eloquent Lutheran preacher. In 1597 he was the pastor in the small town of Unna in Westphalia, at a time when the bubonic plague was sweeping through Europe. In his own town more than 1,400 people died, and occasionally he officiated at 30 funerals in one day. The rectory was right opposite the cemetery, and the continual funeral processions caused him to meditate deeply concerning death. His thoughts transcended the gloom, however, for he looked beyond the grim specter of death to the eternal God in heaven, and to everlasting life in His presence. Two years later, in 1599, he published a hymnbook as a testimony to the blessed hope of eternal life and to his own peace of mind, endeavoring by his words to give comfort to others. In the book he included this poem entitled “Of the Voice at Midnight,” basing it in the parable on the ten virgins: “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps” (Matt. 25:6, 7).
The present translation, entitled “the Final Joy,” made in the original meter, appears in Lyra Gremanica, Second Series, 1858, by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878; see Biographies). Several changes have been made from her translation.
WACHET AUF in named after the first lines of the German chorale “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” (Wake up, the voice is calling us). The melody may have been suggested to Nicolai from an earlier tune, it has been harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach (1985- 1750; see Biographies), and used by Mendelssohn in the overture to his oratorio St. Paul. Nicolai also wrote the words and music of SDAH 18, “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright,” to the tune WIE SCHON LEUCHTET.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Stanza:
1 – Isaiah 21:12
Matthew 25:6, 7
2 – Psalm 97:8
3 – Revelation 21:2
1 Corinthians 2:9
Text
1
Wake, awake, for night is flying,
The watchmen on the heights are crying,
Awake, Jerusalem, arise!
Midnight’s solemn hour is tolling,
His chariot wheels are nearer rolling,
He comes; prepare, ye virgins wise.
Rise up with willing feet
Go forth, the Bridegroom meet; Alleluia!
Bear through the night your well-trimmed light,
Speed forth to join the marriage rite.
2
Zion hears the watchmen singing,
Her heart with deep delight is springing,
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
Forth her Bridegroom comes, all-glorious,
In grace arrayed, by truth victorious;
Her Star is risen, her Light is come!
All hail, incarnate Lord,
Our crown, and our reward! Alleluia!
We haste along, in pomp and song,
And gladsome join the marriage throng.
3
Lamb of God, the heavens adore Thee,
And men and angels sing before Thee,
With harp and cymbal’s clearest tone.
By the pearly gates in wonder
We stand, and swell the voice of thunder,
That echoes round Thy dazzling throne.
No vision ever brought, No ear hath ever caught,
Such bliss and joy;
We raise the song, we swell the throng,
To praise Thee ages all along.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) Isa 21:12; Matt 25: 6, 7 (b) Ps 97:8 (c) Rev 21:21; 1 Cor 2:9
Author
Philip Nicolai (1556-1608)
Translator
Catherine Winkworth, 1858 (1827-1878)
Year Published
1599
Hymn Tune
WACHET AUF
Metrical Number
Irregular
Composer
Melody by Philip Nicolai, 1599
Harmonized
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Recommended Reading
In a small town of Unna in Westphalia of northwestern Germany, more than 1,400 had already died. The local Lutheran preacher would occasionally officiate in about 30 funerals a day.
Face to face with the grim reality of death, this pastor tried to cope by lifting his thoughts above the gloom. His mind looked forward to that time when Christ will come and will give His people the gift of everlasting life. Death, then, will no longer have any hold on man.
Two years later, he wrote a hymn borne out of this experience.
The general idea when it comes to hymns is that there is a close bond between the author and the composer. That the author writes a hymn and the composer invents a tune to suit it, and then provides the harmony to accompany the tune. However, such wasn’t always the case.
Many hymns actually worked vice versa wherein authors would write verses according to existing tunes. Hundreds of hymns are sung from borrowed tunes, such as secular songs, chants, and even classical works. That being said, I went ahead and researched which hymns in the SDA Hymnal were originally classical works.
