Why, impious Herod, should’st 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 to-day;
All glory through eternity
To Father, Son, and Spirit be. Amen.


Source: The New English Hymnal #46a

• MIDI file from The Cyber Hymnal #7493