O Christ, our King, give ear

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O Christ, our King, give ear

Author: John Mason Neale
Published in 3 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF

Author: John Mason Neale

John M. Neale's life is a study in contrasts: born into an evangelical home, he had sympathies toward Rome; in perpetual ill health, he was incredibly productive; of scholarly temperament, he devoted much time to improving social conditions in his area; often ignored or despised by his contemporaries, he is lauded today for his contributions to the church and hymnody. Neale's gifts came to expression early–he won the Seatonian prize for religious poetry eleven times while a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, England. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1842, but ill health and his strong support of the Oxford Movement kept him from ordinary parish ministry. So Neale spent the years between 1846 and 1866 as a warden of Sackvi… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O Christ, our King, give ear
Author:	John Mason Neale
Refrain First Line:	Have mercy on us, Lord
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Audi nos, Rex Christe. Anon. [Processional.] First published from a manuscript of the 11th century, at Clermont, by Du Méril, in his Poésies Populaires Latines du moyen age, Paris, 1847, pp. 56-58, together with an extensive note. The text was repeated by Daniel, iv. p. 171, with reference to Du Méril. It is a Pilgrim's song, and as such it might be used as a Processional. Dr. Neale has printed Du Méril's text (without the various readings) in his Hymni Ecclesiae, 1851, p. 227; and Mr. Ellerton (with the readings) in his Notes on Church Hymns, 1881, No. 440, where he falls into the error of giving the date of the first, 1843, instead of the second, 1847, volume of Du Méril's work. [Rev. W. A. Shoults, B.D.]
Translations in common use:-—
1. 0 Christ, our King, give ear. By J. M. Neale, first published in his Mediaeval Hymns, 1851, in 8 stanzas of 3 lines, including the chorus. The Society from Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, 1871, No. 440, omits the chorus and stanza ii.
2. 0 blessed Trinity, No. 299, in the Hymnary, is Dr. Neale's rendering expanded into 7 stanzas of 6 lines. It was designed as a Processional for the Rogation Days.