Text: | The royal banners forward go |
Author: | Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609 |
Translator: | J. M. Neale, 1818-66 |
Tune: | VEXILLA REGIS |
1 The royal banners forward go,
The Cross shines forth in mystic glow,
Where he in flesh, our flesh who made,
Our sentence bore, our ransom paid.
2 Where deep for us the spear was dyed,
Life's torrent rushing from his side,
To wash us in that precious flood,
Where mingled water flowed, and blood.
3 Fulfilled is all that David told
In true prophetic song of old,
The universal Lord is he,
Who reigns and triumphs from the tree.
4 O Tree of beauty, Tree of light,
O Tree with royal purple dight,
Elect on whose triumphal breast
Those holy limbs should find their rest!
5 On whose dear arms, so widely flung,
The weight of this world's ransom hung,
The price of humankind to pay
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.
6 O Cross, our one reliance, hail!
So may thy power with us prevail
To give new virtue to the saint,
And pardon to the penitent.
7 To thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done:
Whom by thy Cross thou dost restore,
Preserve and govern evermore. Amen.
Text Information | |
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First Line: | The royal banners forward go |
Latin Title: | Vexilla Regis prodeunt |
Author: | Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609 |
Translator: | J. M. Neale, 1818-66 |
Language: | English |
Publication Date: | 1986 |
Scripture: | |
Topic: | The Christian Year: Passiontide; Office Hymn; Holy Cross Day: September 14th |
Notes: | Alternative tune GONFALON ROYAL 128b |
Tune Information | |
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Name: | VEXILLA REGIS |
Key: | e minor |
Copyright: | Arr. by permission of Oxford University Press (from "English Hymnal," 1933) |