Scripture Verse

May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make His face to shine upon us, that Your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1–2

Introduction

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Martin Luther (1483–1546)

Words: Am­brose of Mi­lan, cir­ca 397 (Ve­ni Re­demp­tor gen­ti­um). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Ger­man by Mar­tin Lu­ther, 1524 (Nun Komm der Hei­den Hei­land). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Will­iam M. Rey­nolds, 1851.

Music: Nun komm, En­chi­ri­di­on od­er Hand­büch­lein, Jo­hann Wal­ther (Wit­ten­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1524). Har­mo­ny by Jo­hann S. Bach (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Johann S. Bach (1685–1750)

Lyrics

Savior of the na­tions, come;
Virgin’s Son, here make Thy home!
Marvel now, O Hea­ven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.

Not by hu­man flesh and blood;
By the Spi­rit of our God
Was the Word of God made flesh,
Woman’s off­spring, pure and fresh.

Wondrous birth! O won­drous Child
Of the Vir­gin un­de­filed!
Though by all the world dis­owned,
Still to be in Hea­ven en­throned.

From the Fa­ther forth He came
And re­turn­eth to the same,
Captive lead­ing death and hell
High the song of tri­umph swell!

Thou, the Fa­ther’s on­ly Son,
Hast over sin the vic­to­ry won.
Boundless shall Thy king­dom be;
When shall we its glo­ries see?

Brightly doth Thy man­ger shine,
Glorious is its light di­vine.
Let not sin o’er­cloud this light;
Ever be our faith thus bright.

Praise to God the Fa­ther sing,
Praise to God the Son, our king,
Praise to God the Spi­rit be
Ever and eter­nal­ly.