This song of praise is more Protestant hymnody in this Catholic hymnal, with a Charles Wesley text set to HELMSLEY. The editor diplomatically notes that it is a C18 English melody. Hymnary digs deeper:
John Wesley attributed the tune HELMSLEY to Thomas Olivers in Wesley’s 1765 Sacred Melodies with his brother’s text of “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending.” However, Olivers is said to have heard the tune on the street somewhere. Since the first line resembles a tune by violinist and composer Thomas Augustine Arne composed for Thomas and Sally, or The Sailor’s Return in 1761, it is speculated the tune was composed by Arne. Most likely, the tune comes from a 1763 edition Martin Madan’s Collection of Psalms and Hymn Tunes Sung at the Chapel of Lock Hospital. Madan was the chaplain at Lock Hospital.
From Let the people sing: hymn tunes in perspective by Paul Westermeyer, 2005, GIA Publications, Inc.
In other words, as is very commonly the case, sacred music is derived from the popular music of the day. I must admit this hymn was unfamilar to me. Rhyming “body bears” with worshipers” is bold, I must say, but mayhap the accent was different in the 1700s.
There is a fair bit of “alt” going on but this is the text from this hymnal.
- Lo! he comes with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending,
Swell the triumph of his train!
Alleluia,
Alleluia,
Alleluia!
God appears on earth to reign.- Every eye shall now behold him
Robed in awesome majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold him,
Pierced and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing,
Deeply wailing,
Deeply wailing
Shall the true Messiah see.- Those dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears;
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshipers:
With what rapture,
With what rapture,
With what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!- Yea, Amen! let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
Claim the kingdom for thine own.
Alleluia,
Alleluia,
Alleluia,
Alleluia! come, Lord, come!