Lo! The Desert Depths Are Stirred

Lo! The de­sert depths are stir­rèd

And the reeds of Jor­dan qui­ver;

At the Bap­tist’s her­ald word

Shake the shores of that old riv­er.

Nearer comes the Preach­er’s cry

Deeper sounds his voice and deep­er

Telling that the Christ is nigh

In a tone to rouse the sleep­er.

By their mak­er’s com­ing feet

Moved

the earth

the air

the ocean

Joyously His ad­vent greet

With a strange­ly yearn­ing mo­tion.

Cleanse the heart—a high­way strew

For the God­head hi­ther far­ing;

Cleanse the home—a dwell­ing

due

To the migh­ty Guest

pre­par­ing.

Jesu

Thou our so­lace art

Thou our strength and our sal­va­tion;

Withered grass

from Thee apart

Fades away man’s fee­ble na­tion.

Lift the lost

with hand of health

Whom the plague is fast con­sum­ing;

Lift the veil—in all its wealth

Lo! the beau­te­ous world is bloom­ing.

Thou

who com­est man to free

Son

be Thine all praise for ev­er;

Thine with Sire and Spir­it be

Laud through ag­es end­ing nev­er.