Tune: St Stephen
(\'The Lord will come and not be slow\')
Malachi 3 v.1-5
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The Lord His messenger will send
He shall prepare way, tend
Unto the coming of the Lord
Who shall come, true His word
The Lord whom you seek, suddenly
Shall come to you, so be
And unto His temple, even
Cov\'nant messenger* then (*John Baptist)
The messenger in whom you do
Delight, He comes to you
But who may abide the day when
The Lord Himself comes then?
And who shall stand when He appears?
When He to people nears
He is like a refiner\'s fire
Launderer* with soap\'s bar (*fuller)
He shall sit, refine, purify
As if silver, no lie
Purify the sons of Levi* (*Old Testament priest\'s assistants)
That they then by and by
By and by shall offer unto
Him righteous offerings new
They shall be unto Him pleasant
As olden days content
The Lord will swiftly judge evil
Against sorcerers tell
Adulterers, liars, cheats too
And those who oppress do
And they that exploit widows*, poor (*and widowers)
He shall judge them for sure
They that who neglect the orphans
The vulnerable ones