Scripture Verse

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Introduction

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William H. Havergal (1793–1870)

Words: Will­iam H. Ha­ver­gal. First sung June 9, 1833, in Ast­ley Church, Wor­ces­ter­shire, Eng­land. Pub­lished in A Book of Ge­ne­ral Psal­mo­dy, by Will­iam Ca­rus Wils­on, 1840.

Music: Christ­mas George F. Han­del, from the op­era Ci­roë (Cy­rus), 1728. Ar­ranged in Har­mo­nia Sac­ra, 1812 (🔊 pdf nwc) (re­peats last line of each verse).

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George F. Handel (1685–1759)

Lyrics

Hosanna! raise the peal­ing hymn
To Dav­id’s Son and Lord;
With che­ru­bim and se­ra­phim,
Exalt th’incarnate Word.

Hosanna! Lord, our fee­ble tongue
No lof­ty strains can raise:
But Thou wilt not des­pise the young,
Who meek­ly chant Thy praise.

Hosanna! So­ve­reign, Pro­phet, Priest,
How vast Thy gifts—how free!
Thy blood, our life—Thy Word, our feast—
Thy name, our on­ly plea.

Hosanna! Mas­ter, lo! we bring
Our of­fer­ings to Thy throne;
Not gold, nor myrrh, nor mor­tal thing,
But hearts to be Thine own.

Hosanna! once Thy gra­cious ear
Approved a lisp­ing throng:
Be gra­cious still, and deign to hear
Our poor, but grate­ful song.

O Sav­ior! if, re­deemed by Thee
Thy tem­ple we be­hold;
Hosannas, through eter­ni­ty,
We’ll sing to harps of gold!