Glory to God on High

The following is a hymn by Charles Wesley that beautifully expresses the meaning and power of the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ we celebrate in Christmas. I found it in the British Methodist Hymnal, Hymns & Psalms, #101. I wish it had been included in The United Methodist Hymnal.

Glory to God on High

Glory to God on high,
And peace on earth descend:
God comes down, he bows the sky,
And shows himself our friend:
God the invisible appears:
God, the blest, the great I AM,
Sojourn in this vale of tears,
And Jesus is his name.

Him the angels all adored,
Their Maker and their King;
Tidings of their humbled
LordThey now to mortals bring.
Emptied of his majesty,
Of his dazzling glories shown,
Being’s source begins to be,
And God himself is born!

See the eternal Son of God
A mortal son of man
Dwelling in an earthly clod
Whom heaven cannot contain!
Stand amazed, ye heavens, at this!
See the Lord of earth and skies;
Humbled to the dust he is,
And in a manger lies.

We, earth’s children, now rejoice,
The Prince of Peace proclaim;
With heaven’s host lift up our voice,
And shout Immanuel’s name:
Knees and hearts to him we bow;
Of our flesh and of our bone,
Jesus is our brother now,
And God is all our own.

(may be sung to AMSTERDAM)