Perhaps when next the bells are ringing
The grave shall open unto thee,
And thou art laid beneath the sod,
No more to see this house of God.
Franzén was recently accorded a unique honor in America when his soul-gripping Advent hymn, “Prepare the way, O Zion,” was made the opening hymn in the Hymnal of the Augustana Synod. This hymn-book contains more translations of Swedish hymns than any other volume published in America.
When we add to the hymns already mentioned such beautiful compositions as “Thy scepter, Jesus, shall extend,” “Look to Jesus Christ thy Saviour,” and “The little while I linger here,” it will readily be understood why Franzén ranks so high among the foremost hymnists of the North.
To Samuel Johan Hedborn, another of Wallin’s contemporaries, posterity will ever be grateful for “Holy Majesty, before Thee,” a magnificent hymn of praise that for loftiness of poetic sentiment and pure spiritual exaltation has probably never been excelled. The first stanza suggests something of the heavenly beauty of this noble hymn:
Holy Majesty, before Thee
We bow to worship and adore Thee;
With grateful hearts to Thee we sing.