Of the Father's Love Begotten
1
Of the Father's
heart begotten,
ere the world
from chaos rose,
He is Alpha;
from that fountain
all that is and
hath been flows.
He of all things
is Omega
yet to come the
mystic close,
evermore and
evermore....
2
By his word was
all created;
he commanded,
and 'twas done:
earth and sky and
boundless ocean,
universe of
three in one,
all that sees
the moon's soft radiance,
all that
breathes beneath the sun,
evermore and
evermore....
3
He assumed this
mortal body,
frail and
feeble, doomed to die,
that the race,
from dust created
might not perish
utterly,
which the
ancient law had sentenced
in the depths of
hell to lie,
evermore and
evermore....
4
O how blest that
wondrous birthday,
when the Maid
the curse retrieved,
brought to birth
the world's salvation
by the Holy
Ghost conceived;
and the Babe,
the world's Redeemer
in her loving
arms received--
evermore and
evermore....
5
This is he, whom
seer and sybil
sang in ages
long gone by;
this is he of
old reveal-ed
in the page of
prophecy;
lo! he comes,
the promised Savior;
let the world his
praises cry
evermore and
evermore.
6
Sing, ye heights
of heav'n, his praises;
angels and
archangels, sing!
Wheresoe'er ye
be, ye faithful,
let your joyous
anthems ring,
ev'ry tongue his
name confessing,
countless voices
answering,
evermore and
evermore!
Traditional Forms
This is he whom
seers in old time
chanted of with
one accord,
whom the voices
of the prophets
promised in
their faithful word;
now he shines,
the long-expected;
let creation
praise its Lord,
evermore and
evermore.
Thee let old men,
thee let young men, thee let boys in chorus sing;
Matrons,
virgins, little maidens, with glad voices answering:
Let their
guileless songs re-echo,
And the heart
its music bring, evermore and evermore!
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