7493. Why, Impious Herod, Shouldst Thou Fear

1. Why, impious Herod, shouldst thou fear
Because the Christ is come so near?
He who doth heavenly kingdoms grant
Thine earthly realm can never want.

2. Lo, sages from the East are gone
To where the star hath newly shone:
Led on by light to Light they press,
And by their gifts their God confess.

3. The Lamb of God is manifest
Again in Jordan’s water blest,
And He who sin had never known
By washing hath our sins undone.

4. Yet He that ruleth everything
Can change the nature of the spring,
And gives at Cana this for sign—
The water reddens into wine.

5. Then glory, Lord, to Thee we pay
For thine Epiphany today;
All glory through eternity
To Father, Son, and Spirit be.

Text Information
First Line: Why, impious Herod, shouldst thou fear
Title: Why, Impious Herod, Shouldst Thou Fear
Latin Title: Hostis Herodes impie
Author: Caelius Sedulius (ca. 450)
Translator (from Latin): Percy Dearmer
Meter: LM
Language: English
Source: Translation in The English Hymnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1906)
Copyright: Public Domain
Tune Information
Name: ST. VENANTIUS
Meter: LM
Incipit: 13543 23123 56543
Key: F Major
Source: Rou­en church mel­o­dy
Copyright: Public Domain



Media
Adobe Acrobat image: Adobe Acrobat image
(Cyber Hymnal)
MIDI file: MIDI File
(Cyber Hymnal)
Noteworthy Composer score: Noteworthy Composer score
(Cyber Hymnal)
XML score: XML score
More media are available on the tune authority page.

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us