O Christ, we praise Thee,
Who art the Maker and Redeemer,
And the only Savior
2a. Of earth, heav’n, and ocean,
Angel-choirs and humankind;
2b. Whom alone we worship
And confess both God and Man.
3a. Who, on this earth found incarnate,
Camest to save sinful men.
3b. And, though eternally sinless,
Didst assume the form of sin.
4a. Of Thy flock, as the Canaanite woman,
Thou didst visit Mary—her called Magdalene:
4b. At the table of Thy Divine Scripture,
One by crumbs, one by cup was revitalized.
5a. While all were reclining
Of Simon the Leper’s house,
Thy feast foreshadowing,
5b. The Pharisee murmured
As the woman tearfully
Owned her iniquity.
6a. Her master’s feet adoring, embracing,
She bathed them in tears and dried them,
With her loosened hair, them anointed
With costly ointment,
With kisses circled them.
6b. The sinner his fellow-soul despising,
Of his sin ignorant;
Thou the penitent hearing, absolvest,
Yea, her Thou lovest,
Her thus to beautify.
7a. These fair festivities
Thou foundest pleasing,
O Wisdom of the Trinity,
7b. Born of virginity,
Yet not disdaining
Sinful woman’s piety.
8a. Thou by the Pharisee wast invited,
By Mary’s boundless banquet wast sated,
8b. She loved Thee much, and much was remitted,
Who never after her error repeated.
9a. Thou drov’st from her seven devils,
Working by Thy Spirit sevenfold,
9b. Thou to her first didst reveal Thee
When Thou from the dead wast ris’n again.
10a. By her, O Christ, Thou showest Thy grafted Christendom,
Who, though foreign-born, is summoned
To the table of Thy progeny.
10b. Who, between the feasts of law and mercy interposed,
Scorned by pharasaic judgment,
Must e’er chafe of leprous heresy.
11a. Thou know’st her errors,
Touched by her, erstwhile a sinner,
Now a seeker of Thy mercy.
11b. What would she, ailing,
Have, if she had not received it?
Had not this Physician been there?
12. King of kings, rich unto all men: Oh, save us!
Thou that blottest out all sinners’ trespasses,
Thou hope and glory_of all the saints!
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