Thee, O Christ, The Father's Splendour / Tibi Christe Splendor Patris

14th Century Byzantine Icon - Wikipedia

PROPER OF SAINTS - Thee, O Christ, the Father's Splendour is a 1851 translation by the Anglican Priest, Fr. John Mason Neale of Tibi Christe Splendor Patris usually ascribed to Rabanus Maurus (c.776-856). Educated under the Carolingian scholar, theologian, and poet Alcuin of York, Rabanus Maurus was ordained a Priest in 814, then made the Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey at Fulda in 822,  and after retiring was appointed Archbishop of Mainz in 847. In the Roman Breviary, Tibi Christe Splendor Patris is traditionally sung at Vespers and Matins on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel (Sept. 29). Thee, O Christ, the Father's Splendour is sung to the tune: Unser Herrscher by the German composer Joachim Neander (1650-1680). Related: O Jesu, Life Springing of the Soul / Te Splendor et Virtus Patris.


THEE, O CHRIST, THE FATHER'S SPLENDOUR by John Mason Neale, 1851

1. Thee, O Christ, the Father's splendour,
Life and virtue of the heart,
In the presence of the Angels
Sing we now with tuneful art,
Meetly in alternate chorus
Bearing our responsive part.

2. Thus we praise with veneration
All the armies of the sky;
Chiefly him, the warrior Primate,
Of celestial chivalry,
Michael, who in princely virtue
Cast Abaddon from on high.

3. By whose watchful care repelling -
King of everlasting grace -
Every ghostly adversary,
All things evil, all things base,
Grant us of thine only goodness
In thy Paradise a place.

4. Laud and honour to the Father,
Laud and honour to the Son,
Laud and honour to the Spirit,
Ever Three, and ever One,
Consubstantial, co-eternal,
While unending ages run.

Tune: Unser Herrscher


TIBI CHRISTE SPLENDOR PATRIS attributed to Rabanus Maurus

1. Tibi Christe splendor Patris,
Vita, virtus cordium,
In conspectu Angelorum
Votis, voce psallimus:
Alternantes concrepando
Melos damus vocibus.

2. Collaudamus venerantes
Omnes coeli principes,
Sed praecipue primatem
Coelestis exercitus
Michaelem, in virtute
Conterentem zabulum.

3. Quo custode procul pelle,
Rex Christe piissime,
Omne nefas inimici:
Mundo corde et corpore
Paradiso redde tuo
Nos sola clementia.

4. Gloriam Patri melodis
Personemus vocibus:
Gloriam Christo canamus,
Gloriam Paraclito:
Qui trinus, et unus Deus
Exstat ante saecula.


Gregorian Chant

O Jesu, Life Springing of the Soul / Te Splendor et Virtus Patris

Painting by Jaume Huguet (1412-1492) - Wikipedia

PROPER OF SAINTS - O Jesu! Life-Spring of the Soul by the Catholic convert Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878) is a translation of Te Splendor et virtus Patris usually ascribed to Rabanus Maurus (c.776-856). Educated under the Carolingian scholar, theologian, and poet Alcuin of York, Rabanus Maurus was ordained a Priest in 814, then made the Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey at Fulda in 822,  and after retiring was appointed Archbishop of Mainz in 847. In the Roman Breviary, Te Splendor is traditionally sung at Vespers and Matins on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel (Sept. 29). It can be sung to: Winchester New (as shown below) or any tune in 8.8.8.8 metre. Related: Thee, O Christ, The Father's Splendour / Tibi Christe Splendor Patris.

Tune: Winchester New


O JESU! LIFE-SPRING OF THE SOUL - by Fr. Edward Caswall

1. O Jesu! Life-spring of the soul!
The Father's power and glory bright!
Thee with the Angels we extol;
From Thee they draw their life and light.

2. Thy thousand thousand hosts are spread
Embattled o'er the azure sky;
But Michael bears Thy standard dread,
And lifts the mighty Cross on high.

3. He in that Sign the rebel powers
Did with their Dragon Prince expel;
And hurled them from the heavens high towers,
Down like a thunderbolt to hell.

4. Grant us, with Michael, still,
0 Lord, Against the prince of pride to fight;
So may a crown,be our reward,
Before the Lamb's pure throne of light.

5. To God the Father, with the Son
And Holy Paraclete, with Thee,
As evermore hath been before,
Be glory through eternity.


TE SPLENDOR ET VIRTUS PATRIS - attributed to Rabanus Maurus

1. Te splendor et virtus Patris,
Te vita, Jesu, cordium,
Ab ore qui pendent tuo,
Laudamus inter Angelos.

2. Tibi mille densa millium
Ducum corona militat:
Sed explicat victor crucem
Michael salutis signifer.

3. Draconis hie dirum caput
In ima pellit tartara,
Ducemque cum rebellibus
Ccelesti ab arce fulminat.

4. Contra ducem superbiae
Sequamur hunc nos principem,
Ut detur ex Agni throno
Nobis corona gloriae.

5. Patri, simulque Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus,
Sicut fuit, sit jugiter
Saeclum per omne gloria.

Psalm 130 (129) - De Profundis

15th Century French Manuscript: "De Profundis" - Wikipedia

De Profundis (Out of the Depths) is one of the seven Penitential Psalms. It is the Latin translation of Psalm 130 (129) from the Book of Psalms. It is prayed at Vespers (Evening Prayer), Compline (Night Prayer), and in the Office of the Dead.  It was likely composed during the Babylonian Exile, or during the restoration after the Exile. The following video features a setting of De Profundis by the French Baroque composer, Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704).

DE PROFUNDIS (Latin)

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine:
Domine, exaudi vocem meam:
Fiant aures tuae intendentes,
in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine:
Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est:
et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo eius:
speravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem:
speret Israel in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia:
et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel,
ex omnibus iniquitatibus eius.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum.


OUT OF THE DEPTHS (English)

Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord!
Lord, hear my voice!
Let thy ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.