Ancient and Modern ‎#663

663. How shall I sing that majesty

1 How shall I sing that majesty
which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
sing, sing, ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
thy praise; but who am I?

2 Thy brightness unto them appears,
whilst I thy footsteps trace;
a sound of God comes to my ears,
but they behold thy face.
They sing, because thou art their Sun;
Lord, send a beam on me;
for where heaven is but once begun
there alleluias be.

3 Enlighten with faith's light my heart,
inflame it with love's fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
with that celestial choir.
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
Lord, treasure up my mite.

4 How great a being, Lord, is thine,
which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
to sound so vast a deep.
Thou art a sea without a shore,
a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
thy place is everywhere.

Text Information

• First Line: How shall I sing that majesty
• Author: John Mason (c. 1645-1694) (alt.)
• Meter: DCM
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2013
• Scripture:
  Job 26:14
  ;
  Revelation 5:11-14
  ;
  Revelation 22:5
• Topic: Saints: St Michael and All Angels; Angels; Christ the King (The Sunday next before Advent): Year C; God: in majesty; Heaven; Music and Song; Other Saints and Festivals: Michael and all Angels; Praise; Proper 17: Year C
• Notes: May also be sung to THIRD MODE MELODY (154).

Tune Information

• Name: COE FEN
• Composer: Kenneth Naylor (1931-1991)
• Meter: DCM
• Key: E♭ Major
• Copyright: Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.