Words: At­trib­ut­ed to , 4th Cen­tu­ry (Ae­ter­na Christi mu­nera); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by in the Hymn­al Not­ed, 1854.

Music: Aeter­na Christi Mu­ne­ra, mel­o­dy from Gui­det­ti’s Di­rect­or­i­um Chori, 1582; har­mo­nized in The Eng­lish Hymn­al (London: Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), number 175. Al­ter­nate tune:

  • Affection, from Psalm­o­dy, by (Hal­i­fax: 1838)

The eternal gifts of Christ the King,
The Apostles’ glorious deeds, we sing;
And while due hymns of praise we pay,
Our thankful hearts cast grief away.

The Church in these her princes boasts,
These victor chiefs of warriors hosts;
The soldiers of the heavenly hall,
The lights that rose on earth for all.

’Twas thus the yearning faith of saints,
The unconquered hope that never faints,
The love of Christ that knows not shame,
The prince of this world overcame.

In these the Father’s glory shone;
In these the will of God the Son;
In these exults the Holy Ghost;
Through these rejoice the heavenly host.

Redeemer, hear us of Thy love,
That, with this glorious band above,
Hereafter, of Thine endless grace,
Thy servants also may have place.