1. Welcome God’s and Mary’s Son
Jesu, who to earth descending,
Didst our nature with Thine own
Join in union never ending:
Save us from th’oppressor’s rod,
Oh our Brother and our God!
2. All was lost in Adam’s fall;
All in Thee is now recovered.
Once to sin and death a thrall,
O’er the pit of hell I hovered:
Now I learn to cling to Thee—
Once with Adam, one with me.
3. Out of Heav’n didst Thou come down;
Out of hell my soul deliver.
Scarce a stall in David’s town,
Welcomed Thee; but, gracious Giver,
Grant to us beyond the sky,
Each a starry home on high.
4. Cleaves my soul to dross and dust;
Help me, Lord, I sink and perish;
Purge my heart of earthly lust,
Life divine within me cherish;
Dweller in the manger, Thou,
Dwell Thyself within me now.
5. Scant and mean the swaddling clothes,
Limbs divine, like Thine, to cover!
Be the sin my spirit loathes
Bound in them and covered over:
But myself be clothed in Thee,
Jesu, by Thy Spirit free.
6. Ah! the pain that came to Thee,
In the hard and narrow manger!
May my spirit cradled be
In Thy heart, secure from danger,
When my weary head is hid
Underneath the coffin lid.
7. Is it still the devil’s lust
Souls of men in sin to smother?
Yet in this I put my trust—
God became my Friend and Brother!
Heart and mind in Thee to dwell,
Help me, mine Immanuel!