Lord of earth and sky and sea

Lord of earth and sky and sea
From thy creatures unto thee
Praise and glory ever be.

God who comes, Emmanuel
We thy praise and glory tell
With the Saint who loved thee well.¹

In the storm St.Nicholas came
With thy power, the waves to tame
Sailors call upon his name.²

Of three girls the saint was told
Poverty and sin had hold
He brought gifts: three bags of gold.³

Three young boys the butcher killed
Restoration Nicholas willed
And thy perfect plan fulfilled.⁴

Faithful saint through all his days
We his deeds of faith now raise
Children ever sing his praise.⁵

Father, Saviour, Sacred Dove,
Three-fold God in heav'n above
Shed upon our world thy love.⁶

So may we with Saints confess
And thy holy name profess
Living lives of holiness.

Text: Timothy L'Estrange
Tune: ST PHILIP 7 7 7

Musical notation PDF

Notes:

1. Verse 2 refers to the Advent expectation, as St.Nicholas' Day always falls in Advent.
2. Verse 3 refers to the tradition that Nicholas saved three sailors from drowning in a shipwreck.
3. Verse 4 refers to the tradition that Nicholas saved three girls from prostitution by supplying them with dowries (three bags of gold).
4. Verse 5 refers to the tradition that Nicholas saved three boys from an unscrupulous butcher during a famine in Myra (his See city).
5. Verse 6 refers to St.Nicholas' role as Patron Saint of Children.
6. Verse 7 refers to the strong trinitarian teaching in all the stories of the life of Nicholas.

Sung at the Patronal Festival, Parish Church of St Nicholas, Bramber, Sussex, England. The hymn was written by the rector. Used by permission.

Mp3 file courtesy of Jennifer Wolfe and the Hope College Music Department.

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