O Sing of Christ

Friday after Advent 3
December 18, 2009

The Lord be with you

O sing of Christ, whose birth made known
The kindness of the Lord,
Eternal Word made flesh and bone
So we could be restored.
Upon our frail humanity
God’s finger chose to trace
The fullness of His deity,
The icon of His grace.

What Adam lost, none could reclaim,
And Paradise was barred
Until the second Adam came
To mend what sin had marred.
For when the time was full and right
God sent His only Son;
He came to us as life and light
And our redemption won.

He came to that which was His own,
But He was not received;
Yet still through Him God’s glory shone,
And some His name believed.
To these he gave the right to be
The heirs of heav’n above.
Born not of human ancestry
But born of God in love.

Lord Jesus Christ, You deigned to dwell
Among us here on earth
As God with us, Emmanuel.
To bring this holy birth.
Though rich, You willingly became
One with our poverty.
That we might share Your wealth and name
For all eternity!

Those who know me know that I cam speak in less than glowing terms about contemporary Christmas music. I thought I’d do something different on this blog.

The above song, by Stephen Paul Starke and published by Concordia Publishing House (see link on the sidebar), is a beautiful blend of poetry and theology. Starke, born in 1955 in Bay City, MI, is pastor at St. John Lutheran Church-Amelith in Bay City. He graduated from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1975 and from Concordia University Chicago in 1977. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1983. He has also served Lutheran parishes in Chicago and Middletown, CT. He is married to Pat, a physical therapist, since 1978 and they have four children. In 2005, Concordia Publishing House released a book of 122 of his hymn texts entitled, O Sing of Christ. This song is in the Lutheran Service Book, number 362.

If you type the number 362 in to Better Noise (see link on the side of this page) you can hear the tune. However the words are wrong on Better Noise (the site actually has verse three of O Little Town of Bethlehem) so use the words above if you want to sing along.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert