Immanuel, God with Us!

Immanuel

God with us!

Bow down

ye heav­ens

to­day!

Behold a won­drous glo­ry

The star of Beth­le­hem’s ray!

For an­gels have des­cend­ed

With mes­sage from on high;

Let all the earth keep si­lence

Redemption draw­eth nigh!

Strange sight for men and an­gels!

Lo! the ef­ful­gent light

Which led the ho­ly ma­gi

Rests on Ju­de­an height!

Stopped in its course ce­les­ti­al

O’er low­ly cat­tle shed

Its heav’n­ly beams il­lum­ine

An in­fant’s man­ger bed.

O earth

with all thy king­doms

Was there no oth­er place

Wherein to wel­come Je­sus

The Lord of life and grace?

No room in roy­al pal­ace?

No spot with­in the inn

To shield the Word made hu­man—

The God-man with­out sin?

To make men priests and mon­archs

Joint heirs with Him on high

The Lo­gos con­sub­stan­tial

Descendeth from the sky.

Leaving the Fa­ther’s bright­ness

Leaving His throne of flame

He comes a help­less in­fant

To suf­fer grief and shame.

Depth of hu­mi­li­ation!

Love pass­ing all de­gree!

Thus to re­store to mor­tals

Their im­mor­tal­ity!

Henceforth the race shall tri­umph

And foil the ser­pent’s art:

The laws of stone on Si­nai

Be writ­ten on the heart!

All hail! an­gel­ic her­alds

Proclaiming peace on earth!

Hail! gra­cious star of pro­mise

Sign of a Sav­ior’s birth!

Lift up thy gates

O Zi­on!

Sing

ev­er­last­ing hills!

Joy for the God in­car­nate

The whole cre­ation fills!