Scripture Verse

Jesus increased in wisdom and stature. Luke 2:52

Introduction

portrait
Jean B. de Santeüil
(1630–1697)

Words: Jean B. de San­teüil, Hym­ni Sac­ri, 1689 (Di­vi­ne cres­ce­bas Pu­er). Some hymnals give the author as his pseu­do­nym, San­to­li­us Vic­to­rin­us. Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John Chand­ler, Hymns of the Pri­mi­tive Church, 1837.

Music: Tal­lis’ Or­din­al Tho­mas Tal­lis, cir­ca 1567 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Thomas Tallis (1505–1585)

Lyrics

In sta­ture grows the heav’nly Child,
With death be­fore His eyes;
A lamb un­blem­ished, meek and mild,
Prepared for sac­ri­fice.

The Son of God His glo­ry hides
With par­ents mean and poor;
And He who made the heav’n abides
In dwell­ing place ob­scure.

Those migh­ty hands that stay the sky
No earth­ly toil re­fuse;
And He who set the stars on high
A hum­ble trade pur­sues.

He be­fore whom the an­gels stand,
At whose be­hest they fly,
Now yields Him­self to man’s com­mand,
And lays His glo­ry by.

Jesu, the vir­gin’s holy son,
We praise Thee and adore,
Who art with God the Fa­ther One,
And Spir­it ev­er­more.