Saviour, Who, Exalted High

The original poem was for Lent

An excerpt from

Words: “Savior, Who, Exalted High,” Bishop Richard Mant (1776-1848), 1828, alt., in Richard Mant, Biographical Notices of the Apostles, Evangelists and Other Saints (Oxford: J. Parker, 1828), pp. 536-539, consisting of nine stanzas of 12 lines.

Charles Rogers, ed., Lyra Britannica (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1867), pp. 392-93. Two versions: “Savior, Who, Exalted High” (Four Verses of 12 Lines) and “Son Of Man, To Thee We Cry.”

Four stanzas of 12 lines.

Verses 1, 2, 7, 9 of the original.

HYMN TO THE SAVIOUR.*

1. Saviour, who, exalted high
In Thy Father's majesty,
Yet vouchsaf'st Thyself to show
To Thy faithful flock below;
Foretaste of that blissful sight,
When, arrayed in glorious light,
Beaming with paternal grace,
They shall see Thee face to face.
Saviour, though this earthly shroud
Now my mortal vision cloud,
Still Thy presence let me see;
Manifest Thyself to me !

2. Son of God, to Thee I cry:
By the holy mystery
Of Thy dwelling here on earth;
By Thy pure and holy birth,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb;
By the light through midnight gloom,
Bursting on the shepherds' gaze;
By the angels' song of praise;
By the leading of the star,
The eastern sages' guide from far;
By their gifts, with worship meet,
Offer'd at Thy infant feet;
Lord, Thy presence let me see;
Manifest Thyself to me!

3. Man of sorrows, hear me cry !
By Thy great humility;
By Thy meekly bowed head;
By Thy gentle Spirit, fled
To the mansions of the dead ;
By the wound, whence issuing flow'cl
Water, mingled with Thy blood.
By Thy breathless body, laid
In the rock's sepulchral shade,
Where man ne'er before reposed,
Straitly watch'd, securely closed;
Lord, Thy presence let me see;
Manifest Thyself to me !

4. Lord of glory, God most high,
Man exalted to the sky,
God and man, to Thee I cry:
With Thy love my bosom fill;
Prompt me to perform Thy will;
Grant me, what Thou bidd'st to do,
What Thou proffer'st to pursue:
So may He, the Sire above,
Guard me with a parent's love;
So may He, the Spirit blest,
Whisper comfort, hope, and rest;
So may'st Thou, my Saviour, come,
Make this froward heart Thy home,
And manifest Thyself to me
In the Triune Deity.

* We have followed the example of Sir Roundell Palmer in presenting only four out of nine stanzas of this composition. It is contained in Dr. Mant's " Holydays of the Church."

Note from Dr. Rogers:

RICHARD MANT was born at Southampton, on the 12th February, 1776. His father, Dr. Mant, was rector of All Saints' church, Southampton, and possessed distinction as an author and general scholar. The subject of this sketch was placed at Winchester School, in 1789; he afterwards entered Trinity College, Oxford. He graduated M.A. in 1801, and in the following year was ordained as curate to his father. After different changes, he became, in 1810. Vicar of Coggeshall, Essex. In 1813, he was appointed domestic chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1816, he obtained the rectory of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate. In 1820, he was consecrated Bishop of Killaloe, Ireland. He was translated to the see of Down and Connor, in 1823. His last promotion took place in 1848, when he accepted the bishopric of Dromore. He died on the 2nd November, 1848. Bishop Mant was a most voluminous writer. His edition of the Bible, prepared in conjunction with Dr. George D'Oyley, is held in much esteem. He published an "English Metrical Version of the Book of Psalms,” "Ancient Hymns from the Roman Breviary, for domestic use," etc., and other works in verse. His hymns are spread over his different works.

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