Scripture Verse

They brought Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. Luke 2:22

Introduction

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John Chandler (1806–1876)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Se­bas­ti­en Bes­nault, in the re­vised Pa­ris Bre­vi­ary, 1736, as the hymn for the Feast of the Cir­cum­ci­sion at Ma­tins (Fel­ix di­es quem prop­rio). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John Chand­ler, Hymns of the Pri­mi­tive Church, 1837.

Music: Das walt Gott Va­ter, me­lo­dy by Da­ni­el Vet­ter, cir­ca 1718. Adapt­ed and har­mo­nized by Jo­hann S. Bach (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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Johann Bach (1685–1750)

Lyrics

O happy day, when first was poured
The blood of our re­deem­ing Lord!
O hap­py day, when first be­gan
His suf­fer­ings for sin­ful man!

Just en­tered on this world of woe,
His blood alrea­dy learned to flow;
His fu­ture death was thus ex­pressed,
And thus His ear­ly love con­fessed.

From Hea­ven des­cend­ing to ful­fill
The man­dates of His Fa­ther’s will,
E’en now be­hold the Vic­tim lie,
The Lamb of God, pre­pared to die!

Lord, cir­cum­cise our hearts, we pray,
Our flesh­ly na­tures purge away;
Thy name, Thy like­ness may they bear:
Yea, stamp Thy ho­ly im­age there!

O Lord, the vir­gin born, to Thee
Eternal praise and glo­ry be,
Whom with the Fa­ther we adore,
And Ho­ly Ghost for­ev­er­more.