69. Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Charles Wesley, 1707-88
A dignified, yet stirring Advent hymn, based on Haggai 2:7: “The desire of all nations shall come.” One of the first hymns of Wesley, it appeared in a small book of 24 pages. Hymns for the Nativity of our Lord, published in 1744. It is found in nearly all the modern hymn books in England and America.
For comments on Charles Wesley see [Hymn 6].
MUSIC. HYFRYDOL is a Welsh tune composed by Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1811-87, of Bala, Wales, who was active in the church as song leader, soloist, and composer of tunes. This tune is a composition of his youth, while he was still under twenty. It is characterized by its length, smoothness, and utter simplicity, the whole melody moving throughout, except for one note, within the compass of the fifth.