Why, Impious Herod, Shouldst Thou Fear?

Why

im­pi­ous He­rod

shouldst thou fear

Because the Christ is come so near?

He who doth heav­en­ly king­doms grant

Thine earth­ly realm can nev­er want.

Lo

sag­es from the East are gone

To where the star hath new­ly shone:

Led on by light to Light they press

And by their gifts their God con­fess.

The Lamb of God is ma­ni­fest

Again in Jor­dan’s wa­ter blest

And He who sin had nev­er known

By wash­ing hath our sins un­done.

Yet He that rul­eth ev­ery­thing

Can change the na­ture of the spring

And gives at Ca­na this for sign—

The wa­ter red­dens in­to wine.

Then glo­ry

Lord

to Thee we pay

For thine Epi­pha­ny to­day;

All glo­ry through eter­ni­ty

To Fa­ther

Son

and Spir­it be.