Why Herod Unrelenting Foe

This is a hymn about Jesus' early life. It has verses about King Herod, the visit of the wise-men, Jesus' baptism, and the wedding at Cana, ie the start of Jesus' public ministry.

The words are based on a Latin hymn, Hostis Herodes impie by Caelius Sedulius, circa 450.

The words were translated from Latin to German by Martin Luther in 1541 as Was fürchtst du Feind Herodes sehr. This German version was translated to English vicar hymn-translator by Richard Massie (1800–1887) and published in Martin Luther’s Spiritual Songs, 1854.

It is similar to, but not the same as, another translation, Herod Why Dreadest thou a Foe, by John Mason Neale, 1852 - which is set to different tunes.

With meter 8.8.8.8, tunes it is set to include:

ALLMACHTIGER GOTT by Johann Crüger, 1640
SEDULIUS, unknown, from David Wolder's G B, Hamburg 1598.

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

Piano / organ sheet music

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Instrumental, piano, tune SEDULIUS

Instrumental - MIDI keyboard, with words on-screen

Lyrics

Traditional language

Why, Herod, unrelenting foe,
Doth the Lord’s coming move thee so?
He doth no earthly kingdom seek
Who brings His kingdom to the meek.

Led by the star, the wise men find
The Light that lightens humankind;
The threefold presents which they bring
Declare Him God, and Man, and King.

In Jordan’s sacred waters stood
The meek and heavenly Lamb of God,
And He who did no sin, thereby
Cleansed us from all iniquity!

And now a miracle was done:
Six water pots stood there of stone;
Christ spake the word with power divine,
The water reddened into wine.

All honor unto Christ be paid,
Pure offspring of the holy maid,
With Father and with Holy Ghost,
Till time in endless time be lost.