The Lord And King Of All Things
For St. Stephen's Day
Feast day of St. Stephan the First Martyr is December 26
See: Hymns to St Stephen
Words: Saint Anatolius, 5th Century
Translation by Rev. John Mason Neale
Lyrics Source: George Radcliffe Woodward, ed., Songs of Syon (London: Schott & Co., Third Edition, 1908), #240
Music: Wohlauf, Thut Nicht Verzagen
B. Helder, 1585-1635
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF
Meter: 76 76 D
Music Source: Percy Dearmer, R. Vaughan Williams, et. al., eds., The English Hymnal. London: Oxford University Press, 1906. Carol 32, p. 56.
1. The Lord and King of all things
But yesterday was born;
And Stephen’s glorious offering
His birth-tide shall adorn:
No pearls of orient splendour,
No jewels can he show;
But with his own true heart’s blood
His shining vestments glow.
2. Come, ye that love the Martyrs,
And pluck the flow’rs of song,
And weave them in a garland
For this our suppliant throng;
And cry, “O thou that shinest
In grace’s brightest ray,
Christ’s valiant Protomartyr,
For peace and favour pray!”
3. Thou first of all Confessors,
Of all the Deacons crown,
Of every following athlete
The glory and renown,
Make supplication, standing
Before Christ’s royal throne,
That he would give the kingdom,
And for our sins atone!
Editor's Note:
I was unable to get the lyrics and music to match as found in The English Hymnal (Hymn #32, p. 56, 1906), even after combining some syllables. My solution was to convert a dotted whole note in the ninth measure into a half note and a whole note ("a-dorn"). You may wish to make other arrangements to fit your needs. On the whole, however, I found the tune to be an awkward fit to the lyrics. Perhaps a skilled arranger can make appropriate adjustments.
