Songs Of Hope - Sing We Now Of ChristmasExemplo

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

The Lord Is In His Holy Temple

The text of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” has for its source a 5th-century Eucharistic prayer from the church in Antioch and Jerusalem. Though often sung during the Advent season because of the explicit language of anticipation found in the opening stanza, the hymn is a complete picture of the gospel narrative; not only does Jesus Christ the Son come down, but God the Father remains above seated on his throne. The hymn calls for all creation to worship God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

The opening stanza communicates the revelation and response aspect of worship as seen in the birth narrative: God comes down and reveals Himself to his people, in return He expects the honor and respect of His chosen people.

King of Kings, yet born of Mary as of old on earth he stood.
Lord of lords, in human vesture—in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food

The second stanza walks through Christ’s life and foreshadows His death. He is King, yet He was born of a virgin. He is Lord, yet He is fully man. That physical body will be sacrificed, yet will become spiritual food for His chosen people—Christ’s death and resurrection will make a way for His people to be present with Him for eternity.

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 final stanza is a reminder that all creation in heaven and on earth will, as the prophet Isaiah writes, cry for all eternity “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3).

As we enter this season of Advent, let us remember that even though we look back to the time when Israel was anxiously waiting for the Messiah to come, we live in a time when Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again!

Dr. Robert Pendergraft
Assistant Professor, Department of Music
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor