Scripture Verse

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces. Psalm 45:8

Introduction

portrait
George C. Stebbins (1846–1945)

Words: Sa­la­thi­el C. Kirk, Mus­ings Along the Way (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: A. H. Sick­ler, 1900), page 78. Adapt­ed by Ri­chard W. Ad­ams, March 23, 2017 (pub­lic do­main).

Music: Ade­laide George C. Steb­bins, North­field Hym­nal with Al­ex­an­der’s Sup­ple­ment 1907 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Salathiel C. Kirk (1845–1913)

Lyrics

Down came the King from pa­lace of white,
Down to the earth, in dark­est of night;
Our world to sweet­en, lives to make bright,
King of the Iv­o­ry Pal­ace has come!

Garments pro­claiming cas­sia’s bloom,
Fragrant with aloe, myrrh’s dark per­fume;
Ye kings and princ­es, pre­pare Him room;
King of the Iv­o­ry Pal­ace has come.

How sad the world should ea­ger­ly wait,
Pining, they watched the Beau­ti­ful Gate,
Then turned away in an­ger and hate
When from the Iv­o­ry Palace He came.

The King re­turned to Hea­ven again;
Leaving His peace and joy with men,
And would the ho­ly Com­fort­er send,
The King of iv­o­ry pal­ac­es said.

Our King has said that He’ll come again;
We know not how, nor nei­ther the when;
Watching and wait­ing, we’ll pray, and then
Up to the Iv­o­ry Pal­ace as­cend.