Friday 2 December - This is the Truth Sent from Above (from Fantasia on Christmas Carols) - Ralph Vaughan Williams (1912)
From Hallé Christmas!, by the Hallé Choir and Orchestra.
This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love;
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.
The first thing which I will relate,
Is that God did man create
The next thing which to you I'll tell,
Woman was made with him to dwell.
Then after this, ‘twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain from evil free
Except they ate of such a tree.
And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin;
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.
Thus we were heirs to endless woes,
Till God the Lord did interpose
And so a promise soon did run
That He would redeem us by his Son.