Seasonal Hymns: Advent 166-174

166

Redeemer of the nations, come – Ambrose / C Winkworth trans

Redeemer of the nations, come!
Ransom of earth, here make Thy home!
Bright Sun, oh dart Thy flame to earth,
For so shall God in Christ have birth!

Thou comest from Thy kingly throne,
O Son of God, the Virgin's Son!
Thou Hero of a twofold race,
Dost walk in might earth's darkest place.

Thou stoopest once to suffer here,
And risest o'er the starry sphere;
Hell's gates at thy descent were riven,
Thy ascent is to highest Heaven.

One with the Father! Prince of might!
O'er nature's realm assert Thy right,
Our sickly bodies pine to know
Thy heavenly strength, Thy living glow,

How bright Thy lowly manger beams!
Down earth's dark vale its glory streams,
The splendour of Thy natal night
Shines through all time in deathless light.

167

Sleepers, wake! A voice astounds us – P Nicolai / C Daw trans

"Sleepers, wake!" A voice astounds us,
the shout of rampart-guards surrounds us:
"Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"
Midnight's peace their cry has broken,
their urgent summons clearly spoken:
"The time has come, O maidens wise!
Rise up, and give us light;
the Bridegroom is in sight.
Alleluia!
Your lamps prepare and hasten there,
that you the wedding feast may share."

Zion hears the watchman singing;
her heart with joyful hope is springing,
she wakes and hurries through the night.
Forth he comes, her bridegroom glorious
in strength of grace, in truth victorious:
her star is risen, her light grows bright.
Now come, most worthy Lord,
God's Son, Incarnate Word,
Alleluia!
We follow all and heed your call
to come into the banquet hall.

Lamb of God, the heavens adore you;
let saints and angels sing before you,
as harps and cymbals swell the sound.
Twelve great pearls, the city's portals:
through them we stream to join the immortals
as we with joy your throne surround.
No eye has known the sight,
no ear heard such delight:
Alleluia!
Therefore we sing to greet our King;
for ever let our praises ring.

168

O heavenly Word, eternal Light – Neale trans

O heavenly Word, eternal Light,
Begotten of the Father’s might,
Who, in these latter days, art born
For succor to a world forlorn;

Our hearts enlighten from above,
And kindle with Thine own true love;
That we, who hear Thy call today,
May cast earth’s vanities away.

And when as Judge Thou drawest nigh,
The secrets of all hearts to try;
When sinners meet their awful doom,
And saints attain their heavenly home;

O let us not, for evil past,
Be driven from Thy face at last;
But with the blessèd evermore
Behold Thee, love Thee, and adore.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might and glory be
From age to age eternally.

169

Prepare the way, O Zion – F Franen / A Nelson trans

Prepare the way, O Zion!
Ye awful deeps, rise high;
sink low, ye towering mountains,
the Lord is drawing nigh;
the righteous King of glory,
foretold in sacred story.

Refrain:
O blest is he that came
in God the Father's Name.

O Zion, he approacheth,
thy Lord and King for aye!
Strew palms where he advanceth,
spread garments in his way.
God's promise faileth never,
Hosanna sound forever! Refrain

Fling wide thy portals, Zion
and hail thy glorious King;
his tidings of salvation
to every people bring,
who, waiting yet in sadness,
would sing his praise in gladness. Refrain

170

Comfort, comfort ye my people – J Olearius / C Winkworth trans

Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness,
mourning 'neath their sorrow's load;
speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.

For the herald's voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all men to repentance,
since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way!
Let the valleys rise to meet him,
and the hills bow down to greet him.

Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain:
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits his holy reign,
For the glory of the Lord
now o'er the earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that his word is never broken.

171

What is the crying at Jordan? – C Drake

172

Herald, sound the note of judgment – M Waters

173

Blest be the King whose coming – F Green trans

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
For him let doors be opened, no hearts against him barred!
Not robed in royal splendour, in power and pomp comes he:
but clad as are the poorest - such his humility.

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
By those who truly listen his voice is truly heard.
Pity the proud and haughty, who have not learned to heed
the Christ who is the promise and has our ransom paid.

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
He only to the humble reveals the face of God.
All power is his, all glory! All things are in his hand,
all ages and all peoples, till time itself shall end!

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
He offers to the burdened the rest and grace they need.
Gentle is he and humble! And light his yoke shall be,
for he would have us bear it so he can make us free.

174

There's a voice in the wilderness crying – J Milligan

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!

O Jerusalem, herald good tidings,
ascend to the heights and sing!
Proclaim to a desolate people
the coming of their king.
The works of pride all perish,
Like flow'rs of the field we perish,
like grass our works decay;
the pow'r and the pomp of nations
shall pass like a dream away.

But the word of our Savior is faithful,
the arm of our God is strong,
who stands in the midst of the nations
and soon will right the wrong.
Lord, feed your flock like a shepherd,
the lambs so gently hold;
in pastures of peace now lead them,
and bring them to your fold.