A belated Christmas Carol
Here’s a video of one of my favorite artists (Tim Eriksen) performing a little-known carol. The sound quality leaves something to be desired, but you can still get a sense of how beautiful this song is. If you want a cleaner sounding version, I’d strongly recommend his CD Every Sound Below.
Tim’s is a modified version of Samuel Worcester’s Hymn #12 “Pilgrim.” A quick Google search on the first line of the song will take you to Worcester’s book Hymns Selected from Various Authors, 1835. You can purchase the bound version from ABE Books here.
O Sight of Anguish! View it near—
What weeping innocence is here–
A manger for his bed!
The brutes yield refuge to his woe—
Men, worse than brutes, no pity show,
Nor give him friendly aid!Why do no rapid thunders roll?
Why do not tempests rock the pole?
O miracle of grace!
Or why no angels on the wing
Warm for the honour of their King,
To punish all the race!Though now an INFANT bath’d in tears,
He call’d to form the rolling spheres:
And Seraphs own’d his nod!
Helpless he calls, but men delay:–
Ungrateful sinners disobey
The first-born Son of God!Say, radiant Seraphs thron’d in light,
Did love e’er tower so high of flight?—
Or glory sink so low?
This wonder angels scarce declare;
Angels the rapture scarce can bear,
Or equal praise bestow.Redemption! ‘Tis a boundless theme;
Thou boundless Mind our hearts enflame
With ardour from above:
Words are but faint, let joy express—
Vain is mere joy – let actions bless—
This prodigy of love.
Hetoimazo 
January 5, 2008 at 1:17 am
Greetings and Blessed New Year:
Nice song. Very poetic lyrics.
Couldn’t help but notice that you have included ELCA on your list. Are you affiliated with or belong to an ELCA church?
I also wanted to thank you for including Witness Well on your blog roll — I will do the same on my blogroll. Thank you.
M aka “Merganzerman”
January 5, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Blessed New Year to you, too!
I like that song, and I love the way Tim Eriksen performs it. Sometimes with Tim it takes a couple of listens before one learns to appreciate what he’s doing, especially for those of us not accustomed to his singing style. The guy is talented. (Disclaimer: I earn no profit via this endorsement – I just really like the guy’s style.)
Yes, I belong to an ELCA church, but it’s a weird one. Very eclectic in terms of the membership. I mean, like many churches, there’s a blue-hair contingency and there’s a family-with-young-kids contingency and very little in between; BUT, we’ve got former Pentecostals, Catholics, Baptists, Jews, Cradle Lutherans…pretty much the works. We’ve also got economic diversity galore. It’s probably not a very “Lutheran” Lutheran church, but I like it. Lots of Grace, lots of Spirit. Who can ask for anything more? 🙂
July 21, 2008 at 11:38 am
I am curious is this the same Samuel Worcester that is called The Messenger by the Cherokee Indians. ?
He was a school teacher, a minister and Postmaster of New Echota near
present day Calhoun Ga.
July 22, 2008 at 1:49 am
Gary, I don’t know, but it would make sense, since many of these composers were ministers (obviously), and many among them were itinerant missionaries. I wish I could give you a better answer, and if I had more time I’d research it. If you get around to finding out, do stop by and let me know.
Thanks for the visit!
Rob