Of the Father's Love Begotten

357 Of the Father's Love Begotten

1. Of the Father's love begotten,
   Ere the worlds began to be,
   He is Alpha and Omega,
   He the source, the ending He.
   Of the things that are, that have been,
   And that future years shall see,
   Evermore and evermore!

2. O ye heights of heaven adore Him;
   Angel hosts, His praises sing;
   Powers, dominions, bow before Him,
   And extol our God and King;
   Let no tongue on earth be silent,
   Every voice in concert ring,
   Evermore and evermore!

3. Christ, to Thee with God the Father,
   And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
   Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
   And unwearied praises be:
   Honor, glory, and dominion,
   And eternal victory,
   Evermore and evermore!
                         Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348–c. 413)
                         Trans. by John M. Neale
                         and Henry W. Baker
                         The Methodist Hymnal, 1964 edition

<idle musing>
An old hymn, and as expected there are quite a few additional verses:

2. At His Word the worlds were framed; He commanded; it was done:
   Heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one;
   All that grows beneath the shining
   Of the moon and burning sun, evermore and evermore!

3. He is found in human fashion, death and sorrow here to know,
   That the race of Adam’s children doomed by law to endless woe,
   May not henceforth die and perish
   In the dreadful gulf below, evermore and evermore!

4. O that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace,
   By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
   And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
   First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!

5. This is He whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord;
   Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word;
   Now He shines, the long expected,
   Let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore!

7. Righteous judge of souls departed, righteous King of them that live,
   On the Father’s throne exalted none in might with Thee may strive;
   Who at last in vengeance coming
   Sinners from Thy face shalt drive, evermore and evermore!

8. Thee let old men, thee let young men, thee let boys in chorus sing;
   Matrons, virgins, little maidens, with glad voices answering:
   Let their guileless songs re-echo,
   And the heart its music bring, evermore and evermore!

</idle musing>