This edition was prepared by Douglas Walczak — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Jesu hail! O God most holy
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · John Henry Fowler
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Jesu hail! O God most holy by John Stainer — Lyrics
1.
Jesu hail! O God most holy,
Gentle Lamb, an Infant lowly;
Born, great God, a human stranger,
Laid within the narrow manger:
Refrain:
Might transcending, weakness blending,
Greatness bending from the sky;
Love unending, man befriending,
God most High, God most High.
2.
To enrich my desolation,
To redeem me from damnation,
Wrapt in swathing bands Thou liest,
Thou in want and weakness sighest:
Refrain.
3.
Low abased, where brutes are sleeping,
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About Jesu hail! O God most holy
This stirring anthem for SATB choir and organ is a devotional setting of a rich English text. It offers a powerful contemplation of the Nativity, portraying the infant Jesus as both "God most holy" and "an Infant lowly." The lyrics explore the profound paradox of divine might and human weakness, with the refrain emphasizing the "Love unending, man befriending" nature of God. The composer masterfully conveys the theological depth of the Incarnation, moving from the humble manger scene to the redemptive purpose of Christ's coming. The music would suit a Christmas service or any occasion for reflecting on the humility and love of God made manifest in Christ.
