Christmas Hymn: How Beautiful the Mystery

This was my Christmas hymn for 2000, which we used as the text for our Christmas cards. Verses two and three are intended to draw parallel’s between Jesus’ infancy/childhood and his adult ministry and death.

It is set to MANOAH, one of my favorite tunes. (MANOAH is also the tune setting for one of my favorite hymns, “O Christ, Our Hope, Our Heart’s Desire.”)

Update: A new, contemporary tune is now available at Reformed Praise.

How Beautiful the Mystery

How beautiful the mystery:
Th’Eternal Word comes down
To live and love and die and rise,
To claim His victor’s crown.

Content we find Him cradled there
Amongst the filth and beasts.
Who would believe that He will be
Our guide from death to peace!

By angry swords and dark decree
He’s driven from His land.
But still He humbly bows His head
To trust His Father’s hand.

The spotless Lamb lays down His life,
A curse upon a cross.
Then lives that He might guarantee
That no sheep will be lost.

O! May our hearts grow ever fond
Of Mary’s precious boy:
Our Christ, our hope, our heart’s desire,
Our King and Sov’reign Joy!

Text: ©Eric Schumacher (b. 1976) – written 11/30/00
Tune: MANOAH, Henry W. Greatorex’s Collection, 1851

Permission granted to reprint in nonsalable worship media. All other uses, please contact the author.

from the collection Songs for Suffering Saints.