Universalis

Friday, 30 December 2011

Come to Bethlehem - 6




In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.


2 comments:

John the organist said...

Lovely crib - where is it Peter?

Peter Simpson said...

I'm pleased you like it - I arranged and decorated it!!

It was in the Chapel of the Resurrection of Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith (near Ravenscourt Park). Sadly, when I went to visit the school just before Christmas there was no sign of the crib. A shameful pity.

The crib itself was purchased from Vanpoulles in the year 2000.