Scripture Verse

This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven. Genesis 28:17

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, cir­ca 9th Cen­tu­ry (Chris­te cunc­to­rum Do­mi­na­tor al­me). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Max­well J. Black­er, 1884.

Music: Is­te Con­fess­or Poi­ti­ers An­ti­phon­er, 1746 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

Lyrics

Only be­got­ten, Word of God eter­nal,
Lord of crea­tion, mer­ci­ful and migh­ty,
List to Thy ser­vants, when their tune­ful voic­es
Rise to Thy pre­sence.

Thus in our so­lemn feast of de­di­ca­tion,
Graced with re­turn­ing rites of due de­vo­tion,
Ever Thy child­ren, year by year re­joic­ing,
Chant in Thy tem­ple.

This is Thy pa­lace; here Thy pre­sence-cham­ber;
Here may Thy ser­vants, at the mys­tic ban­quet,
Daily ador­ing, take the bo­dy brok­en,
Drink of Thy cha­lice.

Here for Thy child­ren stands the ho­ly la­ver,
Fountain of par­don for the guilt of na­ture,
Cleansed by whose wa­ter springs a race an­oint­ed,
Liegemen of Je­sus.

Here in our sick­ness heal­ing grace abound­eth,
Light in our blind­ness, in our toil re­fresh­ment;
Sin is for­giv­en, hope o’er fear pre­vail­eth,
Joy ov­er sor­row.

Hallowed this dwell­ing where the Lord abid­eth,
This is none oth­er than the gate of Hea­ven;
Strangers and pil­grims, mak­ing homes eter­nal,
Pass through its por­tals.

Lord, we be­seech Thee, as we throng Thy tem­ple,
By Thy past bless­ings, by Thy pre­sent boun­ty,
Smile on Thy child­ren, and with ten­der mer­cy,
Hear our pe­ti­tions.

God in three Per­sons, Fa­ther ev­er­last­ing,
Son co-eter­nal, ev­er bless­èd Spir­it,
Thine be the glo­ry, praise and ado­ra­tion,
Now and for­ev­er.