Scripture Verse

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. Romans 10:4

Introduction

Words: Se­bas­ti­en Bes­nault, 1736 (De­bil­is ces­sent ele­men­ta le­gis). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861.

Music: St. Mi­chael me­lo­dy by Lou­is Bour­geois in the French Ge­ne­van Psal­ter, 1551; adapt­ed by Will­iam Crotch in his Psalm Tunes, 1836 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bes­nault (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
William Crotch (1775–1847)

Lyrics

The an­cient law de­parts,
And all its ter­rors cease;
For Je­sus makes with faith­ful hearts
A co­ve­nant of peace.

The light of light di­vine,
True bright­ness un­de­filed,
He bears for us the shame of sin,
A holy, spotl­ess child.

His in­fant bo­dy now
Begins our pains to feel;
Those pre­cious drops of blood that flow
For death the vic­tim seal.

Today the name is Thine,
At which we bend the knee;
They call Thee Je­sus, child div­ine!
Our Je­sus deign to be.