{
Ere the Blue Heavens Were Stretched Abroad
GERMANY-Ludwig von Beethoven?
Ere the Blue Heavens Were Stretched Abroad
}
Ere the blue heavens were stretched abroad,
From everlasting was the Word:
With God he was; the Word was God.
And must divinely be adored.
By his own power were all things made;
By him supported, all things stand:
He is whole creation's head,
And angels fly at his command
But, lo! he leaves those heavenly forms:
The Word descends and dwells in clay,
That he may hold converse with worms,
Dressed in such feeble flesh as they.
Mortals with joy behold his face,
Th'eternal Father's only Son;
How full of truth, how full of grace,
When through his eyes the Godhead shone!
Archangels leave their high abode
To learn new mysteries here and tell
The love of our descending God,
The glories of Immanuel.