"Hail to the Lord's Anointed"

“Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” is an Advent hymn by James Montgomery (1771 – 1854).  It is his interpretation of Psalm 72.  In The United Methodist Hymnal and other places, it is set to the tune “Ellacombe.”  The tune is anonymously credited and dates to 1784 where it first appeared in a chapel hymnal for the Duke of Würtemberg.  I first knew the tune as the music for “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” which is frequently employed on Palm Sunday.

The hymn text for “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” is:

Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free,

To take away transgression, and rule in equity.

Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

He comes in succor speedy to those who suffer wrong,

To help the poor and needy, and bid the weak be strong.

To give them songs for sighing, their darkness turn to light,

Whose souls, condemned and dying, are precious in His sight.

Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

He shall come down like showers upon the fruitful earth,

Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, spring in His path to birth.

Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

The tide of time shall never His covenant remove.

His Name shall stand forever, That Name to us is Love.

Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

It is a truly joyful hymn-text that incorporates several Advent themes marvelously.  The list includes the Messiah as standing in the Davidic line, the glorious reign of the one who is to come, release to the captives, forgiveness of sins, comfort, care for the poor, the image of light, encouragement and the eternal sovereignty of the Lord’s Christ.

Don't bail out on Advent!

Well, it really is growing near!  One week from today is Christmas Eve.  The end of Advent is steaming toward us.  It would be so easy simply to cash in the chips, to say, “We’ve been at this since November 10.  Let’s do Christmas already."

That’s the best reason to refrain!  Not that the world and its Christmas culture has worn us down.  But rather, there is still much to do.  Because, as we have said here repeatedly, this is not about pre-Christmas.  This is a wondrous, free-standing time that carries its own joys and its own blessings.  If it becomes difficult to focus on the season, perhaps it is time to create some NEW practices, to establish some NEW traditions.

I think this is a great stretch in which to explore the music dedicated to this time.  On November 21 this blog published a long list of Advent titles that appear in the United Methodist Hymnal alone.  What a great time to listen to them, learn them, sing them and even delve into them a bit.  Much of what is unique in Advent is explored at great length in these wonderful pieces of music.

It would be a terrific spiritual discipline to take some of the days we have left and immerse ourselves in the prophets who spoke so eloquently of hope and of the coming of God’s Christ.  We reduce these prophesies to single verses or carol-phrases often.  Instead of looking up the verse that contains “sun of righteousness” or “God with us,” what if we studied the chapter – or the book – in which the verse resides?

I would venture that there are representatives of other cultural expressions of Advent within easy driving distance of your own home.  You could visit these establishments or exhibits or even see how folks from different places decorate their yards and homes. “What is that?  Where does that come from?”  Write down a description.  Take a picture.  Go back home, conjure up some hot chocolate and Google what you have seen.  Marvel at how others "do Advent."

 I don’t know if there is enough time for it all.

People, Look East

People, look east. The time is near

Of the crowning of the year.

Make your house fair as you are able,

Trim the hearth and set the table.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Guest, is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,

One more seed is planted there:

Give up your strength the seed to nourish,

That in course the flower may flourish.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the rose, is on the way.

Birds, though you long have ceased to build,

Guard the nest that must be filled.

Even the hour when wings are frozen

God for fledging time has chosen.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the bird, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim

One more light the bowl shall brim,

Shining beyond the frosty weather,

Bright as sun and moon together.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the star, is on the way.

Angels, announce with shouts of mirth

Christ who brings new life to earth.

Set every peak and valley humming

With the word, the Lord is coming.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Lord, is on the way.

“People, Look East” is an Advent carol authored by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965). She is best known for writing the hymn “Morning Has Broken” (#145 in The United Methodist Hymnal and popularized by Cat Stevens – now Yusuf Islam – in 1971).  The carol was first published in The Oxford Book of Carols (1928).  According to Michael Hawn of Perkins School of Theology, “Key images of the season are abundant. "People, Look East" is the direction of the rising sun and, in the history of Christianity, the direction of the coming Messiah. In stanza two, the bare earth is waiting for the seed that will flourish in the reign of the Promised One. In stanza three, the stars that guided the Magi shape the "bowl" of the heavens, giving signs of hope beyond "the frosty weather." The angels' song, in stanza four, sets "every peak and valley humming," an oblique reference to Isaiah 40:4, "Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low. . ."

It is a thoughtful hymn text that draws its imagery from a variety of Advent sources.  Put all together it is a wonderful piece that deserves more prominence in our Advent repertoire.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,

who ordered all things mightily;

to us the path of knowledge show

and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,

who to your tribes on Sinai's height

in ancient times did give the law

in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,

unto your own and rescue them!

From depths of hell your people save,

and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

5 O come, O Key of David, come

and open wide our heavenly home.

Make safe for us the heavenward road

and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,

and bring us comfort from afar!

Dispel the shadows of the night

and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind.

Bid all our sad divisions cease

and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

The lyric for this hymn dates to the 8^th century.  It was a poem used as a call and response in the liturgy of the church during evening worship services (vespers, compline, evening prayer).  The poem formed the basis of the O Antiphons that many churches use in Advent liturgy.   In the Latin it formed the “reverse acrostic” ero cras that translates to “I will be with you on the morrow.”  It came to be associated with the season of Advent from its very early days.  The opening line of each stanza identifies a different title for Christ.  The poem was originally a chant that became plainsong that came to be sung to the current tune Veni Immanuel (composed by Thomas Helmore (1811 – 1890).

The Hymns of Advent

The hymnody of this season is distinct.  A few of the true Advent texts have become a part of the traditional Christmas repertoire, but only a few.  In point of fact there is a wealth of Advent music available to us for use in the early days of this season.

The United Methodist Hymnal includes a few:

Come, thou long expected Jesus        

Ye who claim the faith of Jesus

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord  

Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets                                             

People look east. The time is near     

Hail to the Lord's Anointed   

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel          

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light 

You are the light of the world

O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord

I want to walk as a child of the light 

Prepare the way of the Lord  

Hail to the Lord's Anointed, great David's greater Son         

Blessed be the God of Israel  

All earth is waiting to see the Promised One

O come, O come, Emmanuel

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates  

Savior of the nations, come

It is true that not all of these are toe-tappers.  Some are not familiar at all to a lot of present-day congregations, owing to their being overpowered by the traditional carols of the season.  But among these are some truly fine lyrics that do a great job of exploring biblical texts and seasonal themes musically.  We would do well to pay more attention to them.

Some of my favorite CDs for the season include ChristmasCarols at St. John’s and Evensong for Advent.  I apologize for the commercial nature of the links.  I also like The Advent Season by Lucia field on Spotify.