Scripture Verse

Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to John…When He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:13,16–17

Introduction

portrait
Timothy Dudley-Smith
1926–

Words: Ti­mo­thy Dud­ley-Smith, 1984.

Music: Rendez à Dieu Lou­is Bour­geois, 1543; revised 1551 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

illustration
St. John the Baptist
Titian
1488–1576

Lyrics

When John baptized by Jordan’s river,
In faith and hope the people came,
That John and Jordan might deliver
Their troubled souls from sin and shame.
They came to seek a new beginning,
The human spirit’s ageless quest:
Repentance and an end of sinning,
Renouncing every wrong confessed.

There as the Lord, baptized and praying,
Rose from the stream the sinless One,
A voice was heard from Hea­ven saying,
This is My own belovèd Son.
There as the Fa­ther’s word was spoken,
Not in the power of wind and flame,
But of His love and peace the token,
Seen as a dove, the Spi­rit came.

O Son of Man, our nature sharing,
In whose obedience all are blest,
Savior, our sins and sorrows bearing,
Hear us and grant us this request:
Daily to grow, by grace defended,
Filled with the Spi­rit from above,
In Christ baptized, beloved, befriended,
Children of God in peace and love.