A Christmas Hymn of St. Ambrose

For Christmas, I'll venture a little beyond the Second Temple Period and New Testament era to a fourth-century advent hymn of St. Ambrose, Veni, Redemptor gentium (Come, Thou Savior of Our Race). Among his many accomplishments as a bishop, theologian, and doctor of the Church, Ambrose of Milan was also a gifted hymn-writer whose works have been used in worship for over a millennium. The English translation below is from http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/t/s/ctsoorac.htm.

Wishing all readers of this blog a merry Christmas!

Come, Thou Savior of our race,

Choicest Gift of heav’nly grace!

O Thou blessèd virgin’s Son,

Be Thy race on earth begun,

Be Thy race on earth begun.

Not of mortal blood or birth,

He descends from Heaven to earth;

By the Holy Ghost conceived,

God and man by us believed,

God and man by us believed.

Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child

Of the virgin undefiled!

Though by all the world disowned,

Still to be in Heaven enthroned,

Still to be in Heaven enthroned

From the Father forth He came,

And returneth to the same;

Captive leading death and hell—

High the song of triumph swell,

High the song of triumph swell!

Equal to the Father now,

Though to dust Thou once didst bow,

Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;

When shall we its glories see,

When shall we its glories see?

Brightly doth Thy manger shine!

Glorious in its light divine:

Let not sin o’ercloud this light,

Ever be our faith thus bright,

Ever be our faith thus bright.