Cast Up A Highway

The voice of one crying - hark, do you hear;
Does his voice in the wilderness fall on your ear?
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord, do not wait;
Cast up a highway, make it smooth, make it straight."

There cometh a king, will we hearken to this,
And prepare Him a way in the rough wilderness?
Cast up a highway and cast out the stones,
A highway that He may come unto His own.

Not to the temple or court was John sent,
But into the wilderness where it was meant
That he should awaken the people of God
To cast up a highway on plain common sod.

So quick! To the work! Are there stones in the midst?
Do we want Him to find such a welcome as this?
Habits or lusts, or any such thing?
Cast up a highway for Jesus our King!

And He will come gloriously in splendor astride
A white, armored horse He only can ride,
On this highway of holiness, soon you will see,
He'll call out your name and say "Come ride with me!"

Then He'll catch us all up in His arms there to ride
With our great King of kings, we'll be right by His side
As He travels the earth on this holy highway
On His conquering steed and we'll walk in His ways

And we'll rule and we'll reign with our great King of love,
This One who has come from heaven above.
And the way that we labored so hard to prepare
Will be the great highway that with Him we'll share.