Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Here is one of my favorite Christmas Songs. I heard for the first time two years ago. It is from the Liturgy of St. James. And of course its impact is much greater when sung, as opposed to read.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence
And with fear and trembling stand
Ponder nothing earthly minded
For with blessing in His hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth
Our full homage to demand.

King of Kings yet born of Mary
As of old on earth He stood
Lord of Lords in human vesture
In the body and the blood
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav'nly food

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the Darkness clears away

At His feet the six winged seraph
Cherubim with sleepless eye
Veil their faces to the presence
As with ceaseless voice they cry
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High.

No comments:

Let the saints be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud on their beds, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind the kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron. Psalm 149:5-8