1. Forth comes the Standard of the King:
All hail, thou Mystery ador’d!
Hail, O Cross! on which the life himself
Died, and by death our life restor’d!
2. On which our Savior’s holy side
Rent open with a cruel spear
Of blood and water poured a stream,
To wash us from defilement clear.
3. O sacred wood! in thee fulfill’d
Was holy David’s prophecy!
Which told the world, the Lord would reign
O’er all the nations from a tree.
4. Most royally empurpled o’er,
How beauteously thy stem doth shine!
How glorious was its lot to touch
Those limbs so holy and divine!
5. Thrice blest, upon whose arms outstretched
The Savior of the world reclined;
Balance sublime! Upon whose beam
Was weighed the ransom of mankind.
6. Hail, Cross! thou only hope of man,
Hail, on this holy passion day!
To saints increase the grace they have;
From sinners purge their guilt away.
7. Salvation’s spring, blest Trinity,
Be praise to thee through earth and skies:
Thou through the Cross the victory
Dost give; oh, also give the prize!