Scripture Verse

Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 1:4

Introduction

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César Malan (1787–1864)

Words: Am­brose of Mi­lan, cir­ca 397 (Ve­ni, Re­demp­tor gen­ti­um). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Ger­man by Mar­tin Lu­ther, 1524 (Nun komm der Hei­den Hei­land). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by W. M. Rey­nolds in the Am­eri­can Lu­ther­an Ge­ne­ral Sy­nod’s Col­lect­ion, 1850.

Music: Hen­don H. A. Cé­sar Ma­lan, Chants de Si­on, 1827. Har­mo­ny by Lo­well Ma­son, Car­mi­na Sac­ra, 1841 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Ambrose of Milan (340–397)

Lyrics

Come, Thou Sav­ior of our race,
Choicest Gift of heav’n­ly grace!
O Thou bless­èd vir­gin’s Son,
Be Thy race on earth be­gun,
Be Thy race on earth be­gun.

Not of mor­tal blood or birth,
He des­cends from Hea­ven to earth;
By the Ho­ly Ghost con­ceived,
God and man by us be­lieved,
God and man by us be­lieved.

Wondrous birth! O won­drous Child
Of the vir­gin un­de­filed!
Though by all the world dis­owned,
Still to be in Hea­ven en­throned,
Still to be in Hea­ven en­throned.

From the Fa­ther forth He came,
And re­turn­eth to the same;
Captive lead­ing death and hell—
High the song of tri­umph swell,
High the song of tri­umph swell!

Equal to the Fa­ther now,
Though to dust Thou once didst bow,
Boundless shall Thy king­dom be;
When shall we its glo­ries see,
When shall we its glo­ries see?

Brightly doth Thy man­ger shine!
Glorious in its light di­vine:
Let not sin o’er­cloud this light,
Ever be our faith thus bright,
Ever be our faith thus bright.