Gelobet seystu Jesu Christ
The Humility of the Incarnation
The eternal Son of God humbles himself to be born of a virgin and lie in a manger, despite his infinite greatness.
Praise to you, Jesus Christ, for you were born a human being from a virgin—this is true, and the host of angels rejoices in it. Lord, have mercy.✦✦ The eternal Father’s only Son, now found as a man in the manger, has clothed himself in our poor flesh and blood—the eternal Good. Lord, have mercy. The whole world could never contain him, yet he lies in Mary's lap. He has become a tiny child, even though he alone sustains all things. Lord, have mercy.1
The Light of the World
Christ enters the darkness of the world as the eternal light, transforming us into children of light.
The eternal light comes into our midst and gives the world a new radiance. It shines brightly in the heart of the night and makes us children of the light. Lord, have mercy.2
From Sorrow to Heavenly Inheritance
Christ becomes a stranger on earth to lead us out of sorrow and grant us a rich inheritance in heaven.
God the Son, born of the Father, became a stranger in the world. And he leads us out of the valley of sorrow; he makes us heirs in his hall. Lord, have mercy.3 He came to earth in poverty so that he might have mercy on us. And in heaven, he makes us rich and like his beloved angels. Lord, have mercy.4
A Call to Universal Thanksgiving
The work of Christ is a manifestation of his great love, calling all of Christendom to rejoice and give thanks.
He did all this for us to show his great love. Let all Christendom rejoice in this and thank him forever. Lord, have mercy.5
Read the original Latin
Gelobet seystu Jesu Christ / das du mensch geboren bist / von eyner yungfraw das ist war / des frewet sych der engel schar / Kyrioleys.
Des ewigen vaters eynig kind / ytz man ynn der krippen fynd / In vnser armes fleisch vnd blut / verkleydet sych das ewig gut / Kyrioleys.
Den aller welt kreyß nye beschlos / der ligt yn Maria schoß. Er ist eyn kindlin worden klein / der alle ding erhelt alleyn Kyrioleys.
Das ewig liecht gehet da herein / gibt der welt ein newen scheyn. Es leucht wol mitten yn der nacht / vnd vns des liechtes kinder macht / Kyrioleys.
Der son des vatters Gott von ard / eyn gast yn der welt ward. Vnnd furt vns aus dem yamer tall / er macht vns erben yn seym saal / Kyrioleys.
Er yst auff erden kommen arm / das er vnser sych erbarm. Vnd ynn dem hymel machet reych / vnd seynen lieben Engeln gleich. Kyrioleys.
Das hat er alles vns gethan / seyn groß lieb zu zeygen an. Des frew sych all Christenheyt / vnd danck yhm des ynn ewigkeit / Kyrioleys.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.1.18-Matt.1.25;Luke.1.26-Luke.1.35 — Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way: after his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Matt.1.19 — And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. Matt.1.20 — But as he was considering these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.' Matt.1.21 — She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matt.1.22 — All this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Matt.1.23 — "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us." Matt.1.24 — When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife to himself. Matt.1.25 — and he did not know her until she had given birth to a son; and he called his name Jesus. Luke.1.26 — In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee whose name was Nazareth, Luke.1.27 — to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. Luke.1.28 — And coming to her, he said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.' Luke.1.29 — But she was troubled at his message, and she kept pondering what sort of greeting this might be. Luke.1.30 — And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Luke.1.31 — And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. Luke.1.32 — He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. Luke.1.33 — And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Luke.1.34 — But Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I have not known a man?" Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God."
- ↩Luke.2.8-Luke.2.14 — And there were shepherds in the same region, living out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke.2.9 — And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke.2.10 — And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.' Luke.2.11 — For today a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. Luke.2.12 — And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Luke.2.13 — And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Luke.2.14 — Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
Notes
- 1 ↩A vernacularized form of the Greek liturgical refrain Kyrie eleison, rendered here as “Lord, have mercy.”
- 2 ↩A Germanized form of the Greek Kyrie eleison, rendered here as “Lord, have mercy.”
- 3 ↩A Germanized form of the Greek Kyrie eleison, rendered here as “Lord, have mercy.”
- 4 ↩A Germanized form of the Greek liturgical acclamation “Kyrie eleison.”
- 5 ↩The hymn refrain is an early German form of the Greek Kyrie eleison, rendered here by its meaning, “Lord, have mercy.”
Erfurt Enchiridion (Early Lutheran Hymns) companion
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