Scripture Verse

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6–7

Introduction

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Charles E. De Coetlogon (1746–1820)

Words: Charles E. De Coet­lo­gon (1746–1820) (Sedg­wick, p. v). Nu­mer­ous va­ri­ants of this text have been pub­lished. The ear­li­est we have seen (giv­en be­low) is in A New Se­lect­ion of Se­ven Hun­dred Ev­an­ge­li­cal Hymns…In­tend­ed as a Sup­ple­ment to Dr. Watts’s Psalms and Tunes, by John Do­bell (Mor­ris­town, New Jer­sey: Pe­ter A. John­son, 1810), num­ber 28. The pre­face to this edi­tion is signed John Do­bell, Poole, Dor­set, March 1st, 1806. The head­ing to the hymn reads De Coet­lo­gon’s M—.

Music: Ham­burg Lo­well Ma­son, 1824. First pub­lished in The Bos­ton Han­del and Hay­dn So­ci­ety Col­lect­ion of Church Mu­sic, third edi­tion, 1825 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Lowell Mason (1792–1872)

Lyrics

To us a child is born from Heav’n;
To us the Son of God is giv’n;
So Ju­dah’s an­cient pro­phet sings,
And Gen­tiles hail the news he brings.

Gentiles in Je­su’s name shall trust,
And of His glo­ries make their boast;
The gov­ern­ment of worlds He made
Upon His shoul­ders shall be laid.

His name the Won­der­ful shall be;
His won­ders Heav’n and earth shall see:
The Coun­sel­or of truth and grace,
Who leads in paths of right­eous­ness.

The migh­ty God, that glo­ri­ous name,
His works and Word join to pro­claim:
The ev­er­last­ing Fa­ther, He—
And the whole church His fa­mi­ly.

The Prince of Peace, on Da­vid’s throne
And na­tions yet un­born shall own
His so­ver­eign and His gra­cious sway;
Glad of the hon­or to ob­ey.

Justice and judg­ment He’ll main­tain—
To ev­er­last­ing ag­es reign:
And His blest em­pire shall in­crease,
’Till time, with all its move­ments, cease.

Our faith in grate­ful tri­umph boasts
These won­ders of the Lord of Hosts:
And trusts the zeal that formed the plan
To per­fect what that zeal be­gan.