277. Christ is made the sure foundation
Latin, 6th or 7th century
Tr. John M. Neale, 1818-66
From Part II of an ancient Latin hymn of the 6th or 7th century beginning: “Urbs beata Hierusalem.” The author is not known. The first verse reflects Ephesians 2:20-21: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.”
The hymn is often used at the dedication of churches, stanzas 3 and 4 being especially appropriate for that purpose.
Dr. Neale’s translation of the hymn, in nine stanzas, appeared in his Medieval Hymns, 1851. Our hymn is a selection of stanzas 5, 6, 7, and 8, of his translation, with some changes in the words. The Latin of our first three stanzas is as follows:
Angularis fundamentum
lapis Christus missus est
Qui compage parietis
in utroque nectitur,
Quem Sion sancta suscepit,
In quo credens permanet.
Hoc in templo, summe Deus,
exoratus adveni,
Et clementi bonitate
precum vota suscipe;
Largam benedictionem
his infunde iugiter.
Hic promereantur omnes
petita adquirere
Et adepta possidere
cum sanctis perenniter,
Paradisum introire,
translati in requiem.
For comments on John M. Neale see [Hymn 67].
MUSIC. REGENT SQUARE. For comments on this tune see [Hymn 81].