Magnify the Lord To-day

Words: C. F. Hernaman, 1883

Melody: “Powell,” The Rev. J. Baden Powell
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF
Meter: 776 776

Source: Arthur Henry Brown, ed., The Altar Hymnal (London: Griffith, Farrar, Okeden & Welsh, 1885), #11, pp. 40-41

1. Magnify the Lord to-day,
Cast all doubt and fear away,
Hear glad Angels singing;
Raising high their holy mirth,
O'er the Saviour's wondrous Birth;
Joy to all men bringing!

2. On the Shepherd's vigil lone
Sudden blaze of glory shone,
Sudden light from Heaven:
As, while watching o'er their fold;
Angels' voices sweetly told,
How a Son was given.

3. Myriads of the Heavenly throng
Joined in that triumphant song,
High their voices raising:
“Joy to men, goodwill and peace,”
So they sang, and ne'er shall cease,
God in Glory praising.

4. Then the Shepherds ran with speed,
To the place where Christ indeed,
As a Babe, lay sleeping;
Left their flocks without a fear,
In the meadows lone and drear,
To the Angels' keeping.

5. Would we find our King and Head,
Haste we to the “House of Bread,”
With devotion flying;
There Emmanuel we shall see,
Clothed with our humanity,
In a Manger lying.

6. There the Virgin, full of Grace,
Holds her Son in sweet embrace,
Deepest love expending;
Joseph there, her saintly spouse,
To the Infant lowly bows,
Care with worship blending.

7. Jesu! wrapt in swaddling bands,
Tending by Thy Mother's hands,
Lo! We bow before Thee;
Thou the Virgin's promised Seed,
Cradled where the oxen feed,
Veilest all Thy Glory.

8. Still, with Thy true Israel,
Dost Thou, God Incarnate, dwell;
Still Thou, Saviour Holy,
Comest here this Blessed Morn,
As of old, Thou once wast born
Of a Maiden lowly!

9. Still in Eucharistic Feast,
Thou, thro' Thine ordained Priest,
Art Thyself bestowing;
Veiled beneath the Bread and Wine,
Lies the Infant all Divine,
Faith the Mystery knowing.

10. Babe of Bethlehem! Ever dwell
In the hearts that love Thee well,
May they close enfold Thee;
Till they reach that glorious place,
Where for ever Face to face
All the Saints behold Thee.

Notes:

"Magnify" means to "declare the greatness," of, in this case, The Lord. See also: The Magnificat - The Canticle of the Blessed Virgin, and from the modern Liturgia Horarum, Magníficat.

“Powell,” The Rev. J. Baden Powell

 

See and play the Noteworthy Composer score if you have installed the NoteWorthy Composer Browser Plug-in Powell-Magnify_The_Lord_To-day Only tested by Noteworthy for Netscape, Opera, and IE Browsers (Versions 4 or 5) In my experience, it also works with Firefox.

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