Savior Eternal! Health and Life of the World

For Advent

Words: Latin, before the eleventh century;
trans. M. J. Blacker

Music: "Salus aeterna"
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer
Meter: Irr.

Savior eternal!
Health and life of the world unfailing,
Light everlasting!
And in verity our redemption,
grieving that the ages of men must perish
through the tempter's subtlety,
still in heaven abiding, thou camest earthward
of thine own great clemency:

Then freely and graciously
deigning to assume humanity,
to lost ones and perishing
gavest thou thy free deliverance,
filling all the world with joy.

O Christ, our souls and bodies cleanse
by thy perfect sacrifice;
that we as temples pure and bright
fit for thine abode may be.

By thy former advent justify,
by thy second grant us liberty,
that when in the might of glory
thou descendest, Judge of all,
we in raiment undefiled,
bright may shine and ever follow,
Lord, thy footsteps, where'er they lead us.

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