LBW #35, "Hark, the Glad Sound!"
1 Hark, the glad sound! The Savior comes,
The Savior promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne
And every voice a song.
2 He comes the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held.
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
3 He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of his grace
To enrich the humble poor.
4 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Your welcome shall proclaim,
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With your beloved name.
Devotion
Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) wrote more than 400 hymns, primarily for use in his parish, Castle Hill Meeting in Northampton, England. Doddridge wrote "Hark, the Glad Sound!" in 1735 for his Christmas sermon based on Luke 4:18-19. In this text, Jesus reads a job description for the messiah (Isaiah 61:1-2, 58:6) and then announces that he's here to fill the position: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (4:21).
"Today" can be a shocking word. It forces tomorrow's hopes and dreams on us before we are ready. Does Jesus really mean today? Does the gospel really mean now? Yes! The gospel of Jesus is not only about a hoped-for future. It is also about the truth of God's kingdom breaking into our world TODAY.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, open our ears to the glad sound of your breaking into our world - breaking in with the reality of your kingdom. We ask that today - yes, today! - your Spirit will inspire us to live into that reality of your kingdom come so that all may know you as redeemer and savior. Amen.