1 Ere the blue heav'ns were stretch'd abroad,
From everlasting was the word:
With God he was, the word was God,
And must divinely be ador'd.

2 By his own pow'r were all things made,
By him supported all things stand;
He is the whole creation's head,
And angels fly at his command.

3 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?

4 But lo, he leaves those heav'nly forms,
The Word descends and dwells in clay,
That he may converse hold with worms,
Dress'd in such feeble flesh as they.

5 Mortals with joy beheld his face,
Th' eternal Father's only Son;
How full of truth! how full of grace!
When thro' his eyes the Godhead shone!

6 Archangels leave their high abode,
To learn new myst'ries here and tell
The love of our descending God,
The glories of Immanuel.