Christ the Word! Thine incarnation

Links my nature to Thine own;

By Thy sore humiliation,

I am lifted to Thy throne;

By Thy suffering Thou hast fired me

With a zeal to sacrifice,

And to noble life inspired me:

Hence my grateful songs arise.

Word of God! Thy crucifixion

Hath upraised me from the earth;

By Thy death and dereliction,

Thou hast given me nobler birth;

By Thy resurrection glorious,

Life immortal now I own:

Hence ascend my songs victorious

To Thy praise, O Christ the Son.

By Thy hand at the creation,

Thou didst form me from the ground,

And, to mark my kingly station,

With Thine image I was crowned;

And that hand, when pierced and bleeding,

Raised me from corruption's mire;

And, though all this love unheeding,

Decked me with Divine attire.

Thou who gav'st my soul its being,

Breathing in me life Divine,

Didst, by Thine all-wise decreeing,

Unto death Thy life resign;

And from death my soul defending,

Thou didst sojourn with the dead,

That Thou might'st, my fetters rending,

Raise me up, Thou glorious Head!

Shame be on your heads abiding,

Disobedient people now,

Who to death, and vile deriding,

Caused the Word of God to bow!

Shame! for death, nor powers infernal,

Nor the dark of hades' gloom,

Could retain the King Eternal

In the bondage of the tomb.