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 the whole creation's Head,
And angels fly at his command.

Ere sin was born, or Satan fell,
He led the host of morning stars;
(Thy generation who can tell,
Or count the number of thy years?)

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,
The eternal Father's only Son;
How full of truth! how full of grace!
When through his eyes the Godhead shone.

Blest angels leave their high abode,
To learn new mysteries here, and tell
The loves of our descending God,
The glories of Immanuel.