A great and mighty wonder
From Oremus Hymnal
A great and mighty wonder,
a full and holy cure!
The Virgin bears the infant
with virgin-honor pure:
Refrain:
Repeat the hymn again!
"To God on high be glory,
and peace on earth to men."
The Word becomes incarnate,
and yet remains on high;
and cherubim sing anthems
to shepherds from the sky; Refrain
While thus they sing your Monarch,
those bright angelic bands,
rejoice, ye vales and mountains,
ye oceans, clap your hands: Refrain
Since all he comes to ransom,
by all be he adored,
the infant born in Bethlehem,
the Savior and the Lord: Refrain
And idol forms shall perish,
and error shall decay,
and Christ shall wield his scepter,
our Lord and God for ay: Refrain
Contents |
Historical Notes
Translation of Μέγα καί παράδοξον θαυμα. Neale's original version did include the refrain as given. The use of the third stanza of Neale's version as a refrain so as to accommodate the tune Es ist ein Ros (Tune) appears to have begun in 1906. The original English version can be sung to the tune St. Alphege, by Henry John Gauntlett.
Author
- Germanus (ca. 634-732);
- trans. John Mason Neale (1818-1866), 1862
