From Oremus Hymnal
Child of the stable's secret birth,
the Lord by right of the lords of earth,
let angels sing of a King newborn,
the world is weaving a crown of thorn:
a crown of thorn for that infant head
cradled soft in the manger bed.
Eyes that shine in the lantern's ray;
a face so small in its nest of hay,
face of a child who is born to scan
the world he made through the eyes of man:
and from that face in the final day
earth and heaven shall flee away.
Voice that rang through the courts on high,
contracted now to a wordless cry,
a voice to master the wind and wave,
the human heart and the hungry grave:
the voice of God through the cedar trees
rolling forth as the sound of seas.
Infant hands in a mother's hand,
for none but Mary may understand
whose are the hands and the fingers curled
but his who fashioned and made the world;
and through these hands in the hour of death
nails shall strike to the wood beneath.
Child of the stable's secret birth,
the Father's gift to a wayward earth,
to drain the cup in a few short years
of all our sorrows , our sins, and tears--
ours the prize for the road he trod:
risen with Christ; at peace with God.
Words © 1983 Hope Publishing Co. Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
For permission to reproduce this text in all territories except the UK, Europe & Africa, contact:
Hope Publishing Company, www.hopepublishing.com
For UK, Europe & Africa: contact: Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith, 9 Ashlands, Ford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6DY England
Historical Notes
Author
Meter
89 99 98
Sound files
Other Comments
Sources
Hymnals
| Hymnal
| Number
| Tunes Used
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| Hymns of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1826
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874
| #
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| The Year of Praise, 1867
| #
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| The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868
| #
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| The Sarum Hymnal, 1869
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| The Parish Hymnal, 1870
| #
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| The Church Hymnal (US), 1871-1874
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| Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874
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| Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924
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| A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879
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| The Universal Hymn Book, 1885
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| The Mission Hymnal, 1885
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| The Hymnal Companion, 1890
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| The Hymnal Companion, 1890
| #
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Darlington)
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Parker)
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Hutchins)
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Helfenstein)
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Messiter)
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| The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
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| The Church Hymnary (Scotland), 1902
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| Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904
| #
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| The English Hymnal, 1906
| #
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| The Book of Common Praise (Canada), 1908
| #
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| The Mission Hymnal, 1913
| #
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| The Hymnal 1916 (US)
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| Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 1919
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| Church Hymnal Revised, 1920 (Hutchins)
| #
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| The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925
| #
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| Songs of Praise, 1925
| #
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| Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931
| #
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| The Book of Common Praise (Canada), 1938
| #
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| The Hymnal 1940 (US)
| #
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| Christian Worship, 1941
| #
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950
| #
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| The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955
| #
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 1960
| #
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| Anglican Hymn Book, 1965
| #
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| The Hymn Book 1971 (Canada)
| #
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| The Australian Hymn Book, 1977
| #
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| The Hymnal 1982 (US)
| #
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983
| #
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| The New English Hymnal, 1985
| # 43
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| Hymns for Today's Church, 1987
| #
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| Church Family Worship, 1988
| #
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| Hymns Old & New, New Anglican, 1996
| #
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| Common Praise (Canada), 1998
| #
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| Together in Song (Australia), 1999
| #
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| Sing Glory, 1999
| #
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| Complete Mission Praise, 2000
| #
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| Common Praise, 2000
| #
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| Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican, 2000
| #
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 2000
| #
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| The Church Hymnary, Fourth Edition (Scotland), 2005
| #
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| The Book of Hymns, 2006
| #
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| Zion Still Sings, 2007
| #
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External links
