Why, impious Herod, shouldst thou fear

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Why, impious Herod, shouldst thou fear

Author: C. Sedulius
Tune: ST. VENANTIUS
Published in 6 hymnals

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Audio files: MIDI

Choral
	O Come, Redeemer of the Earth

Representative Text

1 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.

2 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.

3 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.

4 Yet he that ruleth everything
Can change the nature of the spring,
And gives at Cana this for sign--
The water reddens into wine.

5 Then glory, Lord, to thee we pay
For thine Epiphany to-day;
All glory through eternity
To Father, Son, and Spirit be. Amen.

Source: The New English Hymnal #46a

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Author: C. Sedulius

Sedulius, Coelius. The known facts concerning this poet, as contained in his two letters to Macedonius, are, that in early life, he devoted himself to heathen literature; that comparatively late in life he was converted to Christianity; and that amongst his friends were Gallieanus and Perpetua. The place of his birth is generally believed to have been Rome; and the date when he flourished 450. For this date the evidence is, that he referred to the Commentaries of Jerome, who died 420; is praised by Cassiodorus, who d. 575, and by Gelasius, who was pope from 492 to 496. His works were collected, after his death, by Asterius, who was consul in 494. They are (1) Carmen Paschale, a poem which treats of the whole Gospel story; (2) Opus Paschale,… Go to person page >

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