by Miles Coverdale (1488 - 1568)
Christmas Hymn
Language: English
Now blessed be Thou, Christ Jesu; Thou art man borne, this is true; the aungels made a mery noyse, yet have we more cause to rejoyse. Kirieleyson. The blessed Sonne of God onely in a crybbe full poore dyd lye; with oure poore flesh and oure poore bloude was clothed that everlastynge good. Kirieleyson. He that made heaven and earth of nought in oure flesh hath oure health brought; for oure sake made He hymselfe full small, that reigneth Lorde and Kynge over all. Kirieleyson. The Lorde Christ Jesu, God's Sonne deare, was a gest and a straunger here; us for to brynge from mysery, that we might lyve eternally. Kirieleyson. Eternall lyght doth now appeare to the worlde both farre and neare; it shyneth full cleare even at mydnyght, makyng us chyldren of His lyght. Kirieleyson. Into this worlde ryght poore came He, to make us ryche in myrcye; therefore wolde He oure synnes forgeve, that we with Hym in heaven myght lyve. Kirieleyson. All this dyd He for us frely, for to declare His great mercy; all Christendome be mery therefore, and geve Hym thankes evermore. Kirieleyson.
Authorship:
- by Miles Coverdale (1488 - 1568) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Christmas Hymn" [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2021-04-15
Line count: 35
Word count: 189