The Cedar of Lebanon

The Ce­dar of Le­ba­non

plant of re­nown

Hath bowed to the hys­sop his wide spread­ing crown:

The Son of the High­est

an in­fant

is laid

On the breast of His mo­ther

that low­li­est maid.

All glo­ry to God in the high­est we sing

And peace up­on earth through the new­ly born King.

From Star of the Sea the glad sun­light hath shined;

Springs the Li­on of Ju­dah from Naph­ta­li’s hind;

The life from the dy­ing

the rose from the thorn:

The Mak­er of all things of maid­en is born.

The man­ger of Beth­le­hem op­ens once more

The gates of that Ed­en where man dwelt of yore

And He who is ly­ing

a child

in the cave

Hath con­quered the foe­man

hath ran­somed the slave.

In midst of the Gar­den the tree of life stands

And of­fers His twelve fruits to lips and to hands

The Lord of Sal­va­tion

the Gen­tiles’ de­sire

Hath ta’en from the cher­ubs their sword-blade of fire.

On hole of the as­pic the suck­ing Child plays

And His hand on the den of the cocka­trice lays;

The Dra­gon

which ov­er a fall­en world reigned

By the seed of the wo­man is van­quished and chained.

To Him who hath loved us

and sent us His Son

To Him who the vic­to­ry for us hath won

To Him who sheds on us His sev­en­fold rays

Be hon­or and glo­ry

sal­va­tion and praise.