This is a song from Tom Parker, initially released in the 1960s in the collection, Let All the Earth Sing His Praise. It is a waltz time song for Advent, based on Isaiah 40. It found its way into the Catholic Worship Book in Australia.
Breviary Hymns has some background. Like a lot of folk era WLP material, it is out of print, but I note you can get the sheet music on SCRIBD if you log in.
I made up the chords for this, but have since seen the real ones and I was pretty close – a few C vs Am chord selections but nothing fatal.
I couldn’t help myself straightening out the words below – I put coming for comin’, for example. I am channelling Mr Tweedley – see the Stan Freberg clip.
Refrain
Be consoled, my people; take courage, O fair Jerusalem,
For your slavery has come to an end.
1 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her slavery has ended,
Her sin is forgiven and her punishment over and done.
2 A voice cries “Prepare in the wilderness a way for our God
And make a straight highway for the Lord,
‘Cause he’s coming to rescue our desert land.”
3 Let every valley be filled in, every mountain made low
And let every cliff become a plain, let nothing hinder our God.
4 Then the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed and all mankind shall see it
It is your God who has spoken.