Words: , 1736 (Deb­il­is ces­sent el­e­men­ta le­gis); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861.

Music: St. Mi­chael, mel­o­dy by in the French Ge­nev­an Psalt­er, 1551; adapted by in his Psalm Tunes, 1836.


The ancient law departs,
And all its terrors cease;
For Jesus makes with faithful hearts
A covenant of peace.

The Light of Light divine,
True brightness undefiled,
He bears for us the shame of sin,
A holy, spotless Child.

His infant body now
Begins our pains to feel;
Those precious drops of blood that flow
For death the victim seal.

Today the Name is Thine,
At which we bend the knee;
They call Thee Jesus, Child divine!
Our Jesus deign to be.