Christmas
Of The Father's Love Begotten
- Words:
- Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, 5th Century.
- Music:
- 'Divinum Mysterium' or 'Corde Natus' Latin Plainsong, 13th Century.
- Setting:
- "The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged" (Episcopal), 1892, alt.
- Metre:
- 8 7 8 7 8 7 7
- 1Of the Father's love begottenEre the worlds began to be,He is Alpha and Omega,He the source, the ending He,Of the things that are, that have been,And that future years shall see,Evermore and evermore!
- 2At His Word they were created;He commanded; it was done:Heav'n and earth and depths of oceanIn their threefold order one;All that grows beneath the shiningOf the moon and burning sun,Evermore and evermore!
- 3He is found in human fashion,Death and sorrow here to know,That the race of Adam's children,Doomed by law to endless woe,May not henceforth die and perishIn the dreadful gulf below,Evermore and evermore!
- 4Oh that birth forever blessèd!When the virgin, full of grace,By the Holy Ghost conceiving,Bare the Savior of our race;And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,First revealed His sacred face,Evermore and evermore!
- 5O ye heights of heav'n adore Him;Angel hosts, His praises sing;Pow'rs, dominions, bow before Him,and extol our God and King:Let no tongue on earth be silent,Every voice in concert ring,Evermore and evermore!
- 6He is here, Whom seers in old time Chanted of, while ages ran;Whom the writings of the prophets Promised since the world began:Then foretold, now manifested, to receive the praise of man,Evermore and evermore!
- 7Righteous Judge of souls departed, Righteous King of them that live,On the Father's throne exalted None in might with Thee may strive;Who at last in vengeance coming Sinners from Thy face shalt drive,Evermore and evermore!
- 8Thee let old men, Thee let young men, Thee let choirs of infants sing;Thee the matrons and the virgins, And the children answering:Let their guileless songs re-echo, And the heart its music bring,Evermore and evermore!
- 9Christ, to Thee with God the Father, And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving, And unwearied praises be:Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory,Evermore and evermore!
Scripture
Topics
- Adam (first/second - see also Guidance, Invitation
- Angels
- Art and Music
- Atonement
- Children (see also God's Children - the Faithful)
- Christmas/Advent
- God, As King
- God, Creator
- God, Eternity of
- God, Justness of
- God, Mercy of
- God's Children - the Faithful (see also Saints, People of the World)
- Jesus
- People of the World
- Praise, Son
- Presence
- Worship
In the hymnals
- The words are in 242 hymnals indexed by Hymnary.org. Their history →
- The tune, Divinum Mysterium, is in 212 hymnals. The tune →
Words, music and setting are in the public domain. The score is from the Open Hymnal Project (Brian J. Dumont), which places its own work in the public domain. The piano is the FluidR3 General MIDI sound font (MIT licence). How many hymnals print a hymn, and when it was written, is from Hymnary.org.