1. Lo ! He comes ! let all adore Him !
'Tis the God of grace and truth !
Go ! prepare the way before Him,
Make the rugged places smooth !
Lo ! He comes, the mighty Lord !
Great His work, and His reward.
2. Let the valleys all be raised ;
Go, and make the crooked straight;
Let the mountains be abased ;
Let all nature change its state ;
Through the desert mark a road,
Make a highway for our God.
3. Through the desert God is going,
Through the desert waste and wild,
Where no goodly plant is growing,
Where no verdure ever smiled;
But the desert shall be glad,
And with verdure soon be clad.
4. Where the thorn and briar flourish'd,
Trees shall there be seen to grow,
Planted by the Lord and nourish'd,
Stately, fair, and fruitful too ;
They shall rise on every side,
They shall spread their branches wide.
5. From the hills and lofty mountains.
Rivers shall be seen to flow,
There the Lord will open fountains,
Thence supply the plains below ;
As He passes, every land
Shall confess His powerful hand.