O Zion, Open Wide Thy Gates

O Zion

op­en wide thy gates

Let sym­bols dis­ap­pear;

A priest and vic­tim

both in one

The truth Him­self

is here.

No more the sim­ple flock shall bleed;

Behold

the Fa­ther’s Son

Himself to His own al­tar comes

For sin­ners to atone.

Aware of hid­den de­ity

The low­ly vir­gin brings

Her new­born babe

with two young doves

Her humble of­fer­ings.

The ag­èd Si­me­on sees at last

His Lord

so long de­sired

And An­na wel­comes Is­ra­el’s hope

With ho­ly rap­ture fired.

But si­lent knelt the mo­ther blest

Of the yet si­lent Word

And pon­der­ing all things in her heart

With speech­less praise ad­ored.

All glo­ry to the Fa­ther be

All glo­ry to the Son

All glo­ry

Ho­ly Ghost

to Thee

While end­less ag­es run.