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Verbum supernum prodiens

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"Verbum supernum prodiens" (literally: The word [descending] from above) is a Catholic hymn in long metre by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274). It was written for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office of Corpus Christi. It is about the institution of the Eucharist by Christ at the Last Supper, and His Passion and death.

The last two verses form a hymn on their own as well, O salutaris hostia, which is sung at the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

There is also an unrelated Latin Nativity hymn of the same name.[1]

Latin text and English translation

Latin text An English translation Verse Rendering
1. Verbum supernum prodiens,
Nec Patris linquens dexteram,
Ad opus suum exiens,
Venit ad vitæ vesperam.
2. In mortem a discipulo
Suis tradendus æmulis,
Prius in vitæ ferculo
Se tradidit discipulis.
3. Quibus sub bina specie
Carnem dedit et sanguinem;
Ut duplicis substantiæ
Totum cibaret hominem.
4. Se nascens dedit socium,
Convescens in edulium,
Se moriens in pretium,
Se regnans dat in præmium.
5. O salutaris hostia,
Quæ cæli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.
6. Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria. 		The Word descending from above,
without leaving the right hand of his Father,
and going forth to do his work,
reached the evening of his life.
When about to be given over
to his enemies by one of his disciples,
to suffer death, he first gave himself
to his disciples as the bread of life.
Under a twofold appearance
he gave them his flesh and his blood;
that he might thus wholly feed us
made up of a twofold substance.
By his birth he gave himself as our companion;
at the Last Supper he gave himself as our food;
dying on the cross he gave himself as our ransom;
reigning in heaven he gives himself as our reward
O saving Victim,
Who expandest the door of Heaven,
Hostile wars press.
Give strength; bear aid.
To the Lord One in Three,
May there be sempiternal glory;
May He grant us life without end
In the native land. 		The heavenly Word proceeding forth,
Yet leaving not his Father's side,
And going to His work on Earth,
Has reached at length life's eventide.
By false disciple to be given
To foemen for His blood athirst,
Himself, the living bread from heaven,
He gave to his disciples first.
In twofold form of sacrament,
He gave His flesh, He gave His blood,
That man, of soul and body blent,
Might wholly feed on mystic food.
In birth man's fellow-man was He,
His meat while sitting at the board;
He died, our ransomer to be,
He reigns to be our great reward.
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below;
Our foes press hard on every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
All praise and thanks to thee ascend
For evermore, blessed One in Three;
O grant us life that shall not end,
In our true native land with Thee.

See also

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Verbum Supernum Prodiens — The first line of two hymns celebrating respectively the Nativity of Christ and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. The hymnologist Daniel remarks on the obvious relation between the Nativity and the Eucharist "by which through all ages the Word made Flesh will dwell among us" as justifying the similar forms of the two hymns (Thesaurus, I, 254).

The Nativity Hymn

In its unrevised form the second line was: "A Patre olim exiens". The correctors of the Breviary under Urban VIII changed it into its present Breviary form: "E Patris aeterni sinu". Sometimes ascribed to St. Ambrose or to St. Gregory the Great, its authorship is unknown. Mone supposed it to be of the second half of the fifth century; but although Advent may possibly date back that far, the hymn is probably much later. From the tenth century it has been the usual hymn for Matins, although given in a few manuscripts to Lauds. Originally the hymn was rhymed throughout in couplets (with one exception). The revision under Urban VIII left not a single strophe unchanged, in the removal of its many unclassical prosodic features.

The Eucharist Hymn

Its second line is: "Nec Patris linquens dexteram". Left untouched by the revisers of Urban VIII, it lacks classical prosody, is in accentual rhythm, and rhymes alternately:

Verbum supernum prodiens

Nec Patris linquens dexteram,

Ad opus suum exiens

Venit ad vitae vesperam.

The Word of God proceeding forth

Yet leaving not the Father's side,

And going to His work on earth,

Had reached at length life's eventide.

The hymn is assigned to Lauds of Corpus Christi (q.v.) and is commonly ascribed to St. Thomas Aquinas. Some scholars compare the Office of Corpus Christi with that of the older Cistercian breviaries (1484-1674), and suggest that St. Thomas probably borrowed (while revising) seven of the responsories of Matins from it, and also probably the hymn "Verbum Supernum". In the Cistercian Office the hymn comprised nine stanzas divided into two hymns (for Matins and Lauds respectively), whereas now the hymn has only six stanzas. The Cistercian hymn was sung to the melody of the Advent hymn, "Verbum Supernum", whereas we now sing the Eucharistic hymn to the different melody of the Ascensiontide hymn, "Aeterne Rex Altissime". "It is very natural to suppose that this choice (a common melody, as in the Cistercian Office, for both of the Verbum Supernum hymns) was the primitive one" (Morin).

References

  1. Back to citation Thesaurus Precum Latinarum, "Verbum supernum prodiens"
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