Let all mortal flesh keep silence

Prayers during the Canon of the Mass during the Mass of the Faithful.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence (Greek: Σιγησάτω πᾶσα σάρξ βροτεία), also known as Let all mortal flesh keep silent, is an ancient chant of Eucharistic devotion based on words from Habakkuk 2:20, "Let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hebrew: הַ֥ס מִפָּנָ֖יו כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ‎ has mippanaw kol ha-erets). The original was composed in Greek as a Cherubic Hymn for the Offertory of the Divine Liturgy of St James;^[1] it probably antedates the rest of the liturgy and goes back at least to AD 275, with local churches adopting arrangements in Syriac. In modern times, the Ralph Vaughan Williams arrangement of a translation from the Greek by Gerard Moultrie to the tune of "Picardy", a French medieval folk melody, popularized the hymn among other Christian congregations.

The Moultrie translation is written in 87.87 Trochaic meter. Therefore, winged in the first line of the fourth stanza ought to be read or sung as a single syllable. However, the two-syllable variant wingèd has become commonly accepted, especially outside of the United Kingdom.

Usage in the Byzantine Liturgy and in other Eastern traditions

Borrowed from the old Divine Liturgy of St. James, the ancient hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silent replaces the Cherubikon in the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great in the Eucharist celebrated in the morning of Holy Saturday. The Byzanine Rite only makes use of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil ten times a year, and during most of the liturgical year the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is used instead. However, even in the dates when the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil is used, the normal Cherubikon is usually sung. It is however replaced by the anthem Let all mortal flesh keep silent specifically on Holy Saturday.

However, Churches that use the Divine Liturgy of St. James as their principal Liturgy or as a Liturgy in frequent use, such as the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Maronite Church sing the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silent regularly, whenever the Divine Liturgy of St. James is used, since the anthem Let all mortal flesh keep silent is the standard Cherubic Hymn of that Liturgy.

Text

Greek text used in the Byzantine Divine Liturgy (Orthodox or Eastern Rite Catholic)

Σιγησάτω πᾶσα σάρξ βροτεία, καὶ στήτω μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, καὶ μηδὲν γήϊνον ἐν ἑαυτῇ λογιζέσθω· ὁ γὰρ Βασιλεῦς τῶν βασιλευόντων, καὶ Κύριος τῶν κυριευόντων, προσέρχεται σφαγιασθῆναι, καὶ δοθῆναι εἰς βρῶσιν τοῖς πιστοῖς· προηγοῦνται δὲ τούτου, οἱ χοροὶ τῶν Ἀγγέλων, μετὰ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, τὰ πολυόμματα Χερουβίμ, καὶ τὰ ἑξαπτέρυγα Σεραφίμ, τὰς ὄψεις καλύπτοντα, καὶ βοῶντα τὸν ὕμνον· Ἀλληλούϊα, Ἀλληλούϊα, Ἀλληλούϊα.^{[n 1]}

English translation of the Greek text used in the Byzantine Liturgy

Let all mortal flesh keep silent, and stand with fear and trembling, and in itself consider nothing of earth; for the King of kings and Lord of lords cometh forth to be sacrificed, and given as food to the believers; and there go before Him the choirs of Angels, with every dominion and power, the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, covering their faces, and crying out the hymn: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Church Slavonic translation of the Greek text, used in the Russian Orthodox Liturgy and in certain Eastern Catholic Rites

Да молчит всякая плоть человеча, и да стоит со страхом и трепетом, и ничтоже земное в себе да помышляет; Царь бо царствующих, и Господь господствующих, приходит заклатися и датися в снедь верным. Предходят же Сему лицы ангельстии со всяким Началом и Властию, многоочитии Херувими, и шестокрилатии Серафими, лица закрывающе, и вопиюще песнь: Аллилуйя, Аллилуйя, Аллилуйя.

English poem by Gerard Moultrie used in the Anglican Communion

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descending
Comes our homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
Comes the powers of hell to vanquish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

See also

• Development of Divine Liturgy of St James
• Author of English lyrics Gerard Moultrie
• Hymn melody Picardy (hymn)
• Prayers for Eucharistic adoration

Notes and references

Notes

1. In the Greek typica, or in relevant historical texts and manuscripts, textual variations in the wording of this hymn are attested; e.g. λογιζέτω for λογιζέσθω, "additional" καί, etc.

References

1. For the place of the text of the hymn inside said Liturgy, see the text of the Liturgy itself: In English, in part 2, under And the Readers begin the Cherubic Hymn; "Divine Liturgy of St. James". www.newadvent.org. In Greek, under the first Ὁ Λαός ("The people"), in Προσκομιδή; "Ἡ Θεία Λειτουργία τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἰακώβου τοῦ ἀδελφοθέου" [The Divine Liturgy of Saint James, brother of God]. analogion.gr.

External links

• Words, MIDI, and score at HymnSite.com
• Musical annotation for playing as MIDI melody or score at Cyber Hymnal
• Hear Real Audio and MP3 samples at Center for Church Music songs and hymn collection "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"