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LET ALL MORTAL
FLESH KEEP SILENCE
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
descending comes full homage to demand.
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.
Rank on rank the
host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way;
as the Light of
light, descending from the realms of endless day,
comes, the
pow'rs of hell to vanquish, as the darkness clears away.
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!"
Text: Liturgy of St.
James; tr. Gerard Moultrie, 1829-1885, alt.
If I were asked to
choose my favorite song in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book, I
couldn’t. I would not be able to narrow it down to only one. Way too
many speak to me spiritually, emotionally and aesthetically.
But this hymn –
this worshipful meditation – would be close to the top of my list.
The words, fittingly matched with a hauntingly beautiful melody,
call me to consider just who it is (creator of the universes,
and more) that we call God! And to respond with worship … with
worship!
Some of my other
favorites are what are called “praise” songs. And yes! praise
to our God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is certainly called
for. Indeed it is probably inseparable from worship.
Other old favorites
contain important challenges to holy living or faithful service and
witness. I could go on and on. These emphases, and many others, are
important for the deepening of my faith and strengthening of my
discipleship. But the words of worship voiced in this hymn need to
literally infuse my very being – consciously and subconsciously –
every day of my life that, together with “the rank on rank” of
heavenly hosts, I might hold our God in awed adoration.
To realize the
astonishing truth that our God is also our heavenly Father – Abba,
Father (which some have said means “Daddy”) – is almost more than I
can handle. My response can only be an awed and heartfelt
worship! Thanks, praise and adoration!
And so, omnipotent,
high and holy God,
Beautiful Savior,
we worship and adore you,
“ALLELUIA!
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA, Lord Most High”
Amen and Amen!
Wil Johnson
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