See, He Comes

“See, He Comes with Clouds Descending” is one of the church’s great hymns of Christ’s return and final glory. While the hymn traces its origins to Charles Wesley’s eighteenth century text, it is Christopher Wordsworth’s nineteenth century adaptation that gave the hymn its enduring form and widespread use. Wordsworth, a bishop and respected hymn writer, carefully refined the language to emphasize biblical clarity, reverence, and doctrinal balance, making the hymn especially suitable for congregational worship.

The hymn draws directly from Revelation 1:7, proclaiming the visible, triumphant return of Jesus Christ. Christ is presented not as the suffering Savior of His first coming, but as the exalted King who returns in glory. The imagery of clouds, angelic hosts, and universal recognition reflects the consistent New Testament teaching that Christ’s second coming will be public, unmistakable, and decisive.

A striking feature of the hymn is its focus on accountability and redemption. It reminds the singer that the same Jesus who was pierced will return as Judge, yet also as Redeemer for His people. This dual emphasis preserves the biblical tension between awe and hope. For believers, Christ’s coming is not a terror but a fulfillment of longing, the moment when faith becomes sight and salvation is fully realized.

Wordsworth’s revision strengthened the hymn’s Christ-centered theology by highlighting Christ’s kingship, the resurrection of the saints, and the final gathering of God’s people. The hymn encourages watchfulness, reverence, and joyful expectation, echoing Christ’s own teaching to live in readiness for His return.

Often sung during Advent and on occasions that emphasize Christ’s reign and future glory, “See, He Comes with Clouds Descending” continues to serve the church as a powerful declaration of biblical eschatology. It calls worshipers to lift their eyes beyond the present age and to anchor their hope firmly in the promised return of the risen and reigning Lord.