carols by candlelight at the convent

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Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descending
Comes our homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
Comes the powers of hell to vanquish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

The Hymnal 1982 #324

English poem by Gerard Moultrie used in the Anglican Communion, the Catholic Church, Western Rite Orthodoxy, and the Lutheran Church - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_all_mortal_flesh_keep_silence

Of the Father's Love Begotten

Of the Father's love begotten,

ere the worlds began to be,

he is Alpha and Omega,

he the source, the ending he,

of the things that are, that have been,

and that future years shall see,

evermore and evermore!

O that birth for ever blessèd,

when the Virgin, full of grace,

by the Holy Ghost conceiving,

bore the Savior of our race;

and the Babe, the world's Redeemer,

first revealed his sacred face,

evermore and evermore!

Let the heights of heaven adore him;

angel hosts, his praises sing;

powers, dominions, bow before him,

and extol our God and King;

let no tongue on earth be silent,

every voice in concert ring,

evermore and evermore!

Christ, to thee with God the Father,

and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,

hymn and chant and high thanksgiving,

and unwearied praises be;

honor, glory and dominion,

and eternal victory,

evermore and evermore!

Author: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

Translation by John Mason Neale (our founder)

#82 Hymnal 1982

Hark What a Sound - music for your Advent prayer

Hark what a sound, and too divine for hearing,

stirs on the earth and trembles in the air!

This is one of my favorite Advent hymns, much beloved at St. Margaret's. We just sang it this week, and once again this year I have a copy in my room for prayer. It speaks to so much in this season, particularly in times where we are in need of hope.

"Surely he cometh..."

"He shall suffice me, for he hath sufficed."

This is the promise of Advent.



Hark what a sound, and too divine for hearing,
stirs on the earth and trembles in the air!
Is it the thunder of the Lord's appearing?
Is it the music of his people's prayer?

Surely he cometh, and a thousand voices
shout to the saints, and to the deaf are dumb;
surely he cometh, and the earth rejoices,
glad in his coming who hath sworn: I come!

This hath he done, and shall we not adore him?
This shall he do, and can we still despair?
Come, let us quickly fling ourselves before him,
cast at his feet the burden of our care.

Through life and death, through sorrow and through sinning,
he shall suffice me, for he hath sufficed:
Christ is the end, for Christ was the beginning,
Christ the beginning, for the end is Christ.*


If you'd like to listen to an arrangement for brass of this hymn tune while meditating on the words, here you are:

*Frederick William Henry Myers, author

tune: Highwood  - R.R. Terry, composer

For more on the hymn: https://hymnary.org/text/hark_what_a_sound_and_too_divine_for_hea

to whom I am grateful for the text so I didn't have to type it all out from our sheet music. 

Advent Carol Service: St John’s Cambridge 1982 (George Guest)