Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

324 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

1 Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
   and with fear and trembling stand;
   ponder nothing earthly minded,
   for, with blessing in His hand,
   Christ our God to earth descendeth,
   our full homage to demand.

2 King of kings, yet born of Mary,
   as of old on earth He stood,
   Lord of lords, in human vesture,
   in the body and the blood.
   He will give to all the faithful
   His own self for heav'nly food.

3 Rank on rank the host of heaven
   spreads its vanguard on the way,
   as the Light of light descendeth
   from the realms of endless day,
   that the pow'rs of hell may vanish
   as the darkness clears away.

4 At His feet the six-winged seraph,
   cherubim with sleepless eye,
   veil their faces to the Presence,
   as with ceaseless voice they cry,
   “Alleluia, alleluia,
   alleluia, Lord Most High!”
                         Litury of St. James
                         Trans. by Gerard Moultrie
                         Methodist Hymnal, 1964 edition

<idle musing>
I was surprised to find that this mainstay of my upbringing is only in 175 or so hymnals! Another reason I'm surprised is that I've heard it on at least a couple of hymn collection CDs/albums over the years. Nevertheless, a good communion hymn.
</idle musing>