The Cyber Hymnal ‎#5835

5835. Rod of the Root of Jesse

1. Rod of the Root of Jesse,
Thou, Flower of Mary born,
From that thick shady mountain
Cam’st glorious forth this morn:
Of her, the ever virgin,
Incarnate wast Thou made,
The immaterial Essence,
The God by all obeyed!
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!

2. The Gentiles’ expectation,
Whom Jacob’s words foretell,
Who Syria’s pride shall vanquish,
Samaria’s power shalt quell;
Thou from the Root of Judah
Like some fair plant dost spring,
To turn old Gentile error
To Thee, its God and King!
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!

3. In Balaam’s ancient vision
The eastern seers were skilled;
They marked the constellations,
And joy their spirits filled;
For Thou, bright Star of Jacob,
Arising in Thy might,
Didst call these Gentile first-fruits
To worship in Thy light.
They, in holy reverence bend,
Gifts acceptable present.

4. As on a fleece descending
The gentle dews distill,
As drops the earth that water,
The virgin didst Thou fill.
Tarshish and Ethiopia,
The Isles and Araby,
And Media, leagues with Sheba,
Fall down and worship Thee.
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!

Text Information

• First Line: Rod of the Root of Jesse
• Title: Rod of the Root of Jesse
• Greek Title: Ῥάβδος ἐχ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαὶ
• Author: Cosmas the Melodist (8th Century)
• Translator (from Greek): John M. Neale
• Meter: 76.76.76.76.77
• Language: English
• Source: Translation in Hymns of the Eastern Church (London: Spottiswoode and Company, 1862)
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tune: JESSE, Ira D. Sankey, 1840-1908; arranged & released into the public domain by Richard W. Adams, 2007

Tune Information

• Name: SCHROEDER
• Composer: Hermann R. Schroeder
• Meter: 76.76.76.76.77
• Incipit: 11715 12343 54323
• Key: G Major
• Source: Great Hymns of the Church Com­piled by the Late Right Rev­er­end John Free­man Young, ed­it­ed by John H. Hop­kins (New York: James Pott & Com­pa­ny, 1887), num­ber 106
• Copyright: Public Domain