Let all mortal flesh keep silence
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessings in His hand
Christ our God to earth descended
Our full homage to demand.
King of kings yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
In the body and the blood,
He will give to all the faithful
His own Self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of light, descending
From the realms of endless day,
Comes the pow'rs of hell to vanquish
As the darkness clears away.
At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
"Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia Lord Most High!"
LYRICS: Liturgy of St. James; tr. by Gerard Moultrie
MUSIC: French carol melody
MIDI file courtesy of HymnSite Methodist Hymns.