Scripture Verse

The Son of God has come. 1 John 5:20

Introduction

portrait
Francis Bottome (1823–1894)

Words: Fran­cis Bot­tome, Songs from the Par­son­age (Cam­bridge, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1894), pag­es 108–10.

Music: Bet­ter Land Will­iam F. Sher­win, in Chris­tian Songs (New York and Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1872), page 111 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
William F. Sherwin (1826–1888)

Lyrics

Christ is come, is come to earth!
Low the man­ger, mean His birth;
Son of Da­vid, roy­al seed,
None of Da­vid’s child­ren heed:
Only shep­herds won­der­ing gaze,
Only stran­gers seek His face.

Yet He comes of Hea­ven adored,
Hosts of an­gels chant Him Lord!
Heaven’s high arch­es swell the strain,
Jesus comes on earth to reign:
Wake ye, mor­tals, wake and see
Love’s di­vin­est mys­te­ry!

Lo! above, the won­drous star,
Guiding ear­nest feet afar,
Shining clear, with cold, pale beams,
O’er the hum­ble sta­ble gleams;
Only wise men see its light
Struggling through the mur­ky night.

Gay and world­ly see no sign
In the in­fant face di­vine;
Child of way-bound tra­vel­er there,
Why should gay and court­ly care?
Yet the wise men bend the knee,
In the babe Mes­si­ah see.

Haughty soul and lof­ty brow
May not at the man­ger bow;
Insentient plea­sure may not wait
Upon the Stran­ger’s mean es­tate;
Yet to wait­ing souls the morn
Joyful hails the Sav­ior born.

So He com­eth, ev­er comes,
To our hearts and to our homes,
Unobserved of pomp and pride,
To the con­trite sin­ner’s side;
Smiles on those who ea­ger seek,
Makes His ad­vent to the meek.