[2051]Vox Aeterna:

Horatio Parker, 1903

John Julian, 1882

Hark! the voice eternal,

Robed in majesty,

Calling into being

Earth and sea and sky;

Hark! in countless numbers

All the angel-throng

Hail creation's morning

With one burst of song.

High in regal glory,

'Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Bright the world and glorious,

Calm both earth and sea,

Noble in its grandeur

Stood man's purity;

Came the great transgression,

Came the saddening fall,

Death and desolation

Breathing over all.

Still in regal glory,

'Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Long the nations waited,

Through the troubled night,

Looking, longing, yearning,

For the promised light.

Prophets saw the morning

Breaking far away,

Minstrels sang the splendour

Of that opening day;

Whilst in regal glory,

'Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Brightly dawned the Advent

Of the newborn King,

Joyously the watchers

Heard the angels sing.

Sadly closed the evening

Of his hallowed life,

As the noontide darkness

Veiled the last dread strife.

Lo! again in glory,

'Mid eternal light,

Reigns the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Lo! again he cometh,

Robed in clouds of fight,

As the Judge eternal,

Armed with power and might.

Nations to his footstool

Gathered then shall be;

Earth shall yield her treasures,

And her dead, the sea.

Till the trumpet soundeth,

'Mid eternal light,

Reign, thou King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Jesus! Lord and Master,

Prophet, Priest, and King,

To thy feet, triumphant,

Hallowed praise we bring.

Thine the pain and weeping,

Thine the victory;

Power, and praise, and honour,

Be, O Lord, to thee.

High in regal glory,

'Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Amen.