Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. from the Liturgy of St. James, trans. by Gerard Moultrie, 1864.  As published in Cantus Christi 2004 revised edition, pg. 241.  (For those keeping track, this particular hymnal was produced by Douglas Wilson’s church.)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence
And with fear and trembling stand
Ponder nothing earthly-minded
For with blessing in His hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth
Our full homage to demand

King of kings, yet born of Mary
As of old on earth He stood
Lord of lords, in human vesture
In the body and blood
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day
That the powers of Hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away

At His feet the six-winged seraph
Cherubim with sleepless eye
Veil their faces to the presence
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

The majesty of a baby.  God certainly loves to use the foolish to shame the wise.  The foolishness of God is far and away more wise than the wisest action of mankind.

It’s truly confusing to me why people in worship services will invoke the Holy One to “come down” and “visit.”  Even the sinless angels cover their head and feet as their cries of Holy, Holy, Holy continue without cessation.  If we truly knew what it meant to cry such things, we might consider praying instead, “Lord, be merciful to me–a sinner.”