Behold That Splendor, Hear the Shout

Behold that splen­dor! Hear the shout;

Heav’n op­ens

an­gels is­sue out

And throng the ne­ther sky.

What sol­emn tid­ings do they bring?

Rapt at th’ap­proach of Is­ra­el’s king

They speak their mon­arch nigh.

Why does the King ap­proach our land?

Comes He with ter­ror in His hand

The mer­its of our crimes?

Shepherds be glad! He comes with peace

Not wrath

but uni­vers­al grace

To bless e’en dist­ant climes.

See Heav’n’s great heir

a wo­man’s son!

Behold

a man­ger is His throne!

Nay

see Him born to die:

Yours is the guilt

but His the pain:

His is the sor­row

yours the gain:

Then let His praise be high.

Come

migh­ty King! the grace en­hance

(A sta­ble was Thy pal­ace once

)

Dwell in these hearts of ours:

Teach us to praise the Fa­ther’s love

’Till bless­ed

trans­port­ed

fired

ab­ove

We sing with nob­ler pow­ers.