There’s a voice in the wilderness crying

503 Hereford. Irregular.

1. There’s a voice in the wilderness crying,
   A call from the ways untrod:
   Prepare in the desert a highway,
   A highway for our God!
   The valleys shall be exalted,
   The lofty hills brought low;
   Make straight all the crooked places,
   Where the Lord our God may go!

2. O Zion, that bringest good tidings,
   Get thee up to the heights and sing!
   Proclaim to a desolate people
   The coming of their King.
   Like the flowers of the field they perish,
   The works of men decay,
   The power and pomp of nations
   Shall pass like a dream away.

3. But the word of our God endureth,
   The arm of the Lord is strong;
   He stands in the midst of nations,
   And He will right the wrong.
   He shall feed His flock like a shepherd,
   And fold the lambs to His breast;
   In pastures of peace He’ll lead them,
   And give to the weary rest.

4. There’s a voice in the wilderness crying,
   A call from the ways untrod:
   Prepare in the desert a highway,
   A highway for our God!
   The valleys shall be exalted,
   The lofty hills brought low;
   Make straight all the crooked places,
   Where the Lord our God may go!
                         James L. Milligan
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musinging>
Well, I'm managing to keep with my tradition of choosing relatively unknown hymns! This one occurs in only about twenty-four hymnals! And I must admit, I don't recall ever actually singing it.
</idle musing>