Thou Who Was Rich...

We sang Thou Who Was Rich Beyond All Splendor as part of worship today. I found one commentary complaining of Christmas carol lyrics that make Jesus that whom He was not. (note: a couple of my family members didn't appreciate the commentary, because they happen to be partial to the hymn the author is criticizing. You decide for yourself.) In celebrating Christmas, it is crucial to remember that little baby of the carols was a real, living, breathing, crying, all-human baby; the Son became man. In that commentary Gordon Cheng wrote, "The reality is that the Lord Jesus, though he was as rich as the Lord of the Universe can be, for our sake, became poor—and his poverty came in that he entered the world as a real, live human being who came to die on the cross for our sins."

And that is what this hymn so richly describes.

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor.

Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love's sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising
Heavenwards by thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love's sake becamest man.

Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.

(Frank Houghton, 1894-1972)

(art credit to Gail)