O Jesu Christ, All Praise to Thee

O Jesu Christ, all praise to Thee,
Who art pleased a Man to be;
The virgin’s womb Thou dost not scorn,
And angels shout to see Thee born.
Hallelujah!

The eternal Father’s only Son
Takes a manger for His throne;
The everlasting fount of good,
Assumes our mortal flesh and blood.
Hallelujah!

The first of all in earth or skies
Now in Mary’s bosom lies;
To be a little child He deigns,
Who all things by Himself sustains.
Hallelujah!

The eternal Light to us descends,
And to earth its brightness lends;
Purely it shines upon our night,
To make us children of the light.
Hallelujah!

The only Son, true God confessed,
Comes to His own world a guest;
And through this vale of tears our Guide,
Doth in His Heaven our home provide.
Hallelujah!

In poorest guise to us He came,
Taking all our sin and shame,
That, as His heirs in Heaven above,
We may with angels share His love.
Hallelujah!

His love to show, surpassing thought!
He this wondrous work hath wrought;
Then let us all unite to raise
Our song of glad unceasing praise.
Hallelujah!

Author: Martin Luther

Year: 1524

This is an English translation of Luther's 'Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ' (1524). The original German text and its early English renderings (including this version) are firmly attributed to Luther; later translators such as Richard Massie or Catherine Winkworth produced alternate English stanzas but the core hymn remains Luther's.