Scripture Verse

This is that bread which is come down from Heaven…he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. John 6:58

Introduction

portrait
Thomas Aquinas
1226–1274

Words: Tho­mas Aqui­nas, cir­ca 1260 (Lau­da Si­on Sal­va­to­rem). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Al­ex­an­der R. Thomp­son, 1883. This hymn was ap­par­ent­ly writ­ten for the Mass of the fes­ti­val of Cor­pus Chri­sti.

Music: Cobb Ger­ard F. Cobb (1838–1904) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Thomp­son,

portrait
Alexander R. Thompson
1822–1895

Lyrics

Zion, to thy Sav­ior sing­ing,
To thy prince and shep­herd bring­ing,
Sweetest hymns of love and praise,
Thou wilt ne­ver reach the mea­sure
Of His worth, by all the trea­sure
Of thy most ec­sta­tic lays.

Of all won­ders that can thrill thee,
And, with ado­ra­tion fill thee,
What than this can great­er be,
That Him­self to thee He giv­eth?
He that eat­eth ever liv­eth,
For the Bread of Life is He.

Fill thy lips to ov­er­flow­ing
With sweet praise, His mer­cy show­ing
Who this heav’n­ly ta­ble spread:
On this day so glad and ho­ly,
To each long­ing spi­rit low­ly
Giveth He the liv­ing Bread.

Here the King hath spread His ta­ble,
Whereon eyes of faith are able
Christ our Pass­ov­er to trace:
Shadows of the law are go­ing,
Light and life and truth in­flow­ing,
Night to day is giv­ing place.

Lo, this an­gels’ food des­cend­ing
Heavenly love is hi­ther send­ing,
Hungry lips on earth to feed:
So the pas­chal lamb was given,
So the man­na came from Hea­ven,
Isaac was His type in­deed.

O Good Shep­herd, Bread life giv­ing,
Us, Thy grace and life re­ceiv­ing,
Feed and shel­ter ev­er­more;
Thou on earth our weak­ness guid­ing,
We in Heav’n with Thee abid­ing,
With all saints will Thee adore.