Christ, Whom The Virgin Mary Bore
For Christmas
Words: "A Solis Ortus
Cardine" from "Paean Alphabeticus de
Christo"
Sedulius, 5th Century
Translated By Martin Luther as
Christum wir
sollen loben schon
English Translator Unknown
Music: "Tune 22"
Meter: L.M.
Source: A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the Protestant Church of the United Brethren. New and Revised Edition. (Manchester: R. & W. Dean, 1809), #45, p. 14.
1. Christ, whom the virgin Mary bore,
We all with humble hearts adore!
O might all nations, tribes and tongues,
To our Immanuel raise their songs.
2. God, who to all things being gave,
The fallen human race to save,
Assum'd our feeble flesh and blood,
And for our debt as Surety stood.
3. He, who the wants of all supplies,
Now in a manger helpless lies:
He, who the whole creation feeds,
An earthly Mother's nursing needs!
4. The angels at his birth rejoice,
And sing his praise with cheerful voice;
The shepherds, hearing Christ is born,
To Jesus, our chief Shepherd, turn.
5 Thanks to the Father now be giv'n,
Who sent his Son to us from heav'n:
Thanks to the Son who saves the lost,
Thanks to our Guide the Holy Ghost.
Notes:
The first verse was found in the Calendar for December 24 (Christmas Eve), in The Daily Words and Doctrinal Texts of the Brethren's Congregation for the Year 1792. (London: 1791), referencing the Moravian Hymn Book of 1789, Song #42. This hymnal was believed edited by John Swertner (1746–1813).
Also found, altered, in Josiah Pratt, ed., Three Hundred and Fifty Portions of the Book of Psalms: Selected from Various Versions, with a Collection of Six Hundred Hymns Adapted for Public Worship (London: Seeley and Sons, 1829), #83, p. 235.
1. Christ, whom the Virgin Mary bore,
Let all with humble hearts adore:
Soon may all nations, tribes, and tongues,
To our Immanuel raise their songs !5 Praise to the Father now be given,
Who sent his Son to us from heaven:
Praise to the Son who saves the lost,
Praise to our Guide the Holy Ghost.
The hymn books reference "Tune 22," but do not otherwise specify which tune is intended as the tune books can contain up to two dozen "Tune 22" arrangements, all of them, as expected, in Long Meter.
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