Scripture Verse

The King eternal. 1 Timothy 1:17

Introduction

Words: Un­known au­thor, 6th Cen­tu­ry or ear­li­er (Rex æter­ne Do­mi­ne). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by the com­pil­ers of Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern.

Music: Church Tri­um­phant James W. El­li­ott, 1874 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Elliott (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

O Christ, the heav’ns’ eter­nal King,
Creator, unto Thee we sing,
With God the Fa­ther ever One,
Co-equal, co-eter­nal Son.

Thy hand, when the first the world began,
Made in Thine own pure image man,
And linked to fleshly form of earth
A living soul of heavenly birth.

And when the envious crafty foe
Had marred Thy noblest work below,
Thou didst our ruined state repair
By deigning flesh Thy­self to wear.

Once of a virgin born to save,
And now new born from death’s dark grave,
O Christ, Thou bidd’st us rise with Thee
From death to immortality.

Eternal Shepherd, Thou art wont
To cleanse Thy sheep within the font,
That mystic bath, that grave of sin,
Where ransomed souls new life begin.

Divine Re­deem­er, Thou didst deign
To bear for us the cross of pain,
And freely pay the precious price
Of all Thy blood in sacrifice.

Jesu, do Thou to every heart
Unceasing Paschal joy impart;
From death of sin and guilty strife
Set free the new born sons of life.

All praise be Thine, O ris­en Lord,
From death to endless life restored;
All praise to God the Fa­ther be
And Holy Ghost eternally.