God Needeth Not The Cleansing Wave

For The Weeks After Epiphany

Words: Non abluunt lymphae Deum, Matins Hymn from the Paris Breviary, by le Tourneux.

Translation: Robert Campbell, of Sherrington

Source: Orby Shipley, Annus Sanctus: Hymns of the Church for the Ecclesiastical Year. Vol. 1. (London and New York: Burns and Oates, 1884), p. 55-56.

God needeth not the cleansing wave, 
But giveth it the power to save ; 
His sinless flesh, baptized therein, 
Hath hallowed it to cleanse from sin. 

The sacred fountain long foretold 
For all uncleanness here behold ; 
For thus the Lord his death applies, 
And with his blood the spirit dyes. 

For bathed in that baptismal flood, 
The soul is dyed with Jesus' blood ; 
And clothed in robes which brightly glow, 
Surpassing far the purest snow. 

As once the Spirit brooded o'er 
The Maid who our Redeemer bore, 
So broods he o'er that mystic flood — 
The womb from which we rise to God. 

Mysterious womb, the Spirit's shade 
That rested on the holy Maid —  
His quickening power to thee bestows, 
And sons of God from thee we rose. 

Jesu, to thee all praise we pay, 
For thou hast washed our sins away ; 
The Father equally adore, 
And Holy Spirit evermore. 

Note from Shipley:

62. Non abluunt lymphae Deum. Matins Hymn from the Paris Breviary, by le Tourneux. God needeth not the cleansing wave. A paraphrase. Robert Campbell, of Sherrington. 55

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