Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming is an exquisite traditional German carol translated into English by Theodore Baker (verses 1-2), Harriet R. K. Spaeth (verses 3-4), and John C. Mattes (verse 5). This carol is set to the lovely tune Es Ist Ein Ros’ with the harmony composed by Michael Praetorius that helps describe the unmatched beauty of Christ the Messiah, whose coming is foretold in Old Testament prophecies.
Numerous passages in Scripture talk about the coming of Christ, including Isaiah 11:1-10 telling of the stump of Jesse from the root of Jesse.
1Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit ….10On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will look to him for guidance, and his resting place will be glorious (Isaiah 11:1, 10).
The carol lyrics describe Christ coming according to prophecy to show God’s love. He comes in “glorious splendor” into the darkness of the sinful world to save us from sin and death, and to lighten every load. What a tender picture of our Savior, Jesus!
Stanza 1
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
Stanza 2
Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
Stanza 3
The shepherds heard the story
Proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of glory
Was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped
And in the manger found Him,
As angel heralds said.
Stanza 4
This flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.
Stanza 5
O Savior, child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory,
Who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray,
To the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!
*Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay
*Taken from ADVENT: Meditations for Addicts by Shirley Crowder and Mark E. Shaw.
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