166. Adventante Deo

LIFT up your heads, gates of my heart, unfold

Your portals to salute the King of kings!

Behold Him come, borne on cherubic wings

Engrained with crimson eyes and grail of gold!

Before His path the thunder-clouds withhold

Their stormy pinions, and the desert sings:

He from His lips divine and forehead flings

Sunlight of peace unfathomed, bliss untold.

O soul, faint soul, disquieted how long!

Lift up thine eyes, for lo, thy Lord is near,

Lord of all loveliness and strength and song,

The Lord who brings heart-sadness better cheer,

Scattering those midnight dreams that dote on wrong,

Purging with heaven’s pure rays love’s atmosphere!