Sunday, December 6, 2009

Savior of the nations, come!

David Koyzis at Evangel on one of the best Advent hymns:
Some of my favourite hymns are Advent hymns. No, not the Christmas songs that fill the malls and airwaves around this time of year, but the Advent hymns that fill us with a sense of expectation at both comings of the Messiah. One of the very best has to be Saviour of the Nations, Come. The Latin text, Veni, Redemptor gentium, is attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan, famed mentor to the even more famous St. Augustine of Hippo. It was translated into German as Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland by Martin Luther in 1523. The tune was adapted from a 12th-century gregorian chant by Johann Walther the following year. .... [more]
Koyzis links to several YouTube performances, including this one in Latin:


An English translation of Luther's German translation from the Latin:

Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin's Son, make here Thy home!
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
Thou, the Father's only Son,
Hast o'er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?
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.
Brightly doth Thy manger shine,
Glorious is its light divine.
Let not sin o'ercloud this light;
Ever be our faith thus bright.
Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
Of the Virgin undefiled!
Though by all the world disowned,
Still to be in heaven enthroned.
Praise to God the Father sing,
Praise to God the Son, our King,
Praise to God the Spirit be
Ever and eternally.
From the Father forth He came
And returneth to the same,
Captive leading death and hell–
High the song of triumph swell!


Veni Redemptor gentium » Evangel | A First Things Blog

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