Hymns of the Early Church / being translations from the poetry of the Latin church, arranged in the order of the Christian year

by John Brownlie

Noble tree! unbend thy branches,

Let thy stubborn fibres bend,

Cast thy native rigour from thee,

Be a gentle, loving friend;

Bear Him in thine arms, and softly,

Christ, the King eternal, tend.

V

Only thou could’st bear the burden

Of the ransom of our race;

Only thou could’st be a refuge,