121. Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle

1 Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle,
sing the ending of the fray,
o'er the cross, the victor's trophy,
sound the loud triumphant lay:
tell how Christ, the world's Redeemer,
as a victim won the day.

2 God in pity saw man fallen,
shamed and sunk in misery,
when he fell on death by tasting
fruit of the forbidden tree:
then another tree was chosen
which the world from death should free.

3 Therefore when the appointed fullness
of the holy time was come,
he was sent who maketh all things
forth from God's eternal home:
thus he came to earth, incarnate,
offspring of a maiden's womb.

4 Thirty years among us dwelling,
now at length his hour fulfilled,
born for this, he meets his Passion,
for that this he freely willed,
on the cross the Lamb is lifted,
where his life-blood shall be spilled.

5 To the Trinity be glory,
to the Father and the Son,
with the co-eternal Spirit,
ever Three and ever One,
one in love and one in splendour,
while unending ages run. Amen.

Text Information
First Line: Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
Author: Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609
Translator: Percy Dearmer, 1867-1936
Meter: 87 87 87
Language: English; Latin
Publication Date: 2000
Scripture: ; ; ; ; ; ;
Topic: Passiontide and Holy Week; Lent V: Year C
Source: Latin
Copyright: © Oxford University Press
Notes: Now Public Domain; Other translators also
Tune Information
Name: PANGE LINGUA
Adapter: Michael Fleming, b. 1928
Meter: 87 87 87
Key: e minor
Source: Mode iii
Copyright: © Royal School of Church Music



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