Waiting for Christ

Son of God, thy people's shield

No. 829
Metre 7s. D.
Words Anon.
Singing key F major
2 stanzas

Sung to MARTYN (hymn 771)

Words

Son of God, thy people's shield,Must we still thine absence mourn?Let thy promise be fulfilled;Thou hast said, "I will return."Gracious Master, soon appearQuickly bring thy morning's light;Then will cease the constant tear,Hope be turned to joyful sight.

As a woman counts the daysTill her absent lord she sees,Longs and watches, weeps and prays,So the church must long for thee.Come, that we may see thee nigh;Then the sheep shall feed in peace;Hushed forever trouble's sigh,Sin and sorrow's triumph cease.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «829» (large) in the left column of p. 272, under the stanzas of hymn 828, with the reference line «771, 901, 778.» in italic figures beside it (sing to the tunes of hymns 771, 901 or 778 — the same line as hymn 828; no meter is printed: the eight lines of seven syllables are 7s. D., like WATCHMAN above). Stanza 1 and the first four lines of stanza 2 stand at the foot of the left column; the last four lines of stanza 2 («Come, that we may see thee nigh; … Sin and sorrow's triumph cease.») continue, without a number, at the head of the right column, followed by «Anon.» in italics, right-aligned — two stanzas of eight lines (only the numbers «1» and «2» are printed). Stanzas numbered «1», «2» without periods (written «1.», «2.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book); even lines indented. The first word «SON» is set as a capital S and small capitals; written «Son». The print sets a thin space before «;» and «?» and after the opening quotation mark («" I will return."»); it is closed up here. Curly quotation marks and apostrophes are written straight. Spelling, punctuation (no comma after «appear») and capitals are the print's.