Waiting for Christ

How happy are the little flock

No. 874
Metre C. P. M.
Tune CHARDON.
Words Charles Wesley.
Music Lowell Mason.
Key F major
Time 3/4
4 stanzas

Words

How happy are the little flockWho safe beneath their guardian RockIn all commotions rest!When war's and tumult's waves run high,Unmoved above the storm they lie,And lodge in Jesus' breast.

The plague, and dearth, and din of war,Our Saviour's swift approach declare,And bid our hearts arise;The signs confirm our trembling hope,While scoffers still in darkness grope,And view them with surprise.

Thy tokens we with joy confess;The war proclaims the Prince of peace;The earthquake speaks thy power;The famine all thy fullness brings;The plague presents thy healing wings,And nature's final hour.

Whatever ills the world befall,A pledge of endless good we call,A sign of Jesus near.His chariot will not long delay;We hear the rumbling wheels, and pray,"Triumphant Lord, appear!"

About this hymn

As printed As printed: hymn number «874» (large), tune name «CHARDON. C. P. M.» centred over the music (condensed capitals), «LOWELL MASON.» at the right (capitals and small capitals); running head «WAITING FOR CHRIST—CLOSING WORK.». Stanza 1 is interlinear, one line per system, with «1.» before «How»; «guardian» and «Unmoved» are printed unbroken under two notes, «lodge» with an extender line under its three-note melisma; the «e» of «rest!» is broken on the plate (it looks like «r3st!»). Stanzas 2–4 are printed as text in two columns below the music, numbered «2»–«4» without periods (written «2.»–«4.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book), under the reference line «897, 658.» in italics (= may also be sung to the tunes of hymns 897 or 658); stanza 3 runs from the foot of the left column (lines 1–3) to the top of the right column (lines 4–6); «Charles Wesley.» in italics after stanza 4. Lines 3 and 6 of each stanza are indented in the print. The print sets a thin space before «;» and «!» («arise ;», «appear ! »); it is closed up here. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's.