Thursday, December 3, 2020

Advent Song


EARTH was waiting, spent and restless,
 with a mingled hope and fear;
 and the faithful few were sighing,
 ‘Surely, Lord, the day is near;
 the Desire of all the nations,
 it is time He should appear.’

2 In the sacred courts of Zion,
 where the Lord had His abode,
 there the money-changers trafficked,
 and the sheep and oxen trod;
 and the world, because of wisdom,
 knew not either Lord or God.

3 Then the Spirit of the Highest
 on a virgin meek came down,
 and He burdened her with blessing,
 and He pained her with renown;
 for she bore the Lord’s Anointed,
 for His cross and for His crown.

4 Earth for Him had groaned and travailed
 since the ages first began;
 for in Him was hid the secret
 that through all the ages ran –
 Son of Mary, Son of David,
 Son of God, and Son of Man.

                                        -Walter Chalmers Smith, 1824-1908
Tune # 203

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