Bright Builder of the Heavenly Poles

For the Advent. 

Creator alme siderum. Revised from Conditor alme siderum

From the PRIMER, 1685. 

Source: Orby Shipley, Annus Sanctus: Hymns of the Church for the Ecclesiastical Year. Vol. 1. (London and New York: Burns and Oates, 1884), Appendix p. 18.

Bright Builder of the heavenly poles, 
Eternal light of faithful souls, 
Jesu, Redeemer of mankind, 
Our humble prayers vouchsafe to mind. 

Who, lest the fraud of hell's black king 
Should all men to destruction bring, 
Didst, by a strong impulse of love, 
The fainting world's physician prove. 

Who, from a sacred Virgin's womb, 
Didst an unspotted victim come 
Unto the cross, to cleanse the sin 
The wretched world was plunged in. 

The sound of whose high power and name 
No sooner any voice can frame, 
But all in heaven, and those that be 
In hell, bow down with trembling knee. 

Thee Christ, who at the latter day 
Shalt be our judge, we humbly pray. 
Such arms of heavenly grace to send, 
As from our foes may us defend. 

Be glory given and honour done, 
To God the Father and the Son 
And to the Holy Ghost on high, 
From age to age eternally. 

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