533. Holy Innocents Hymn

Today is the commemoration of the Holy Innocents, a.k.a. the fourth day of Christmas. This concluding installment in the trilogy of saints' days immediately following Christmas focuses on the boy children of Bethlehem, aged 2 and younger, whom Herod commanded to be slain based on the tidings of a newborn king that the eastern magi had brought him. The church counts them as martyrs, and the celebration carries a lot of resonance particularly with people who have buried their own dear children. According to the Lutheran Service Book lectionary of feasts and festivals, the lessons for today are Jeremiah 31:15-17, Rev. 14:1-5 and Matthew 2:13-18. And in this instance, I actually have a tune in mind – COMMITTAL, a tune I wrote in 2014 for the burial hymn posted here, and which I later paired here with a subsequent hymn about civic duty.

Weep, earth, for the babes whose blameless blood
Was spilled and for baptism thus sufficed;
Yet heaven will make the matter good,
As sure as they now belong to Christ.

For though they fell foul of Herod's rage,
Unmade by a tyrant's lust for power,
Another cause glows from Scripture's page:
They served our Lord Jesus in that hour.

Now rest from your weeping, Israel's wife:
Your sacrifice will not lack reward.
Your babes shall be raised to joyful life,
When unto the land returns the Lord.

Till then, let this comfort heal your smart:
For twelve times twelve thousand voices strong,
They bring to the Lamb with unspoiled heart
Firstfruits of the Spirit—perfect song.

ART: "The Massacre of the Innocents" by Angelo Visconti, 1829-1861, public domain per Wikimedia Commons.

Afterword: Apparently, a "Heroes of the Faith" section in Profitable Hymns is going to happen, with a hymn for each date on the LSB sanctoral calendar with the following exceptions, mostly because I've already covered them: the Confession of St. Peter; the Conversion of St. Paul; New Years Eve & the Circumcision and Name of Jesus; the Marian feasts of Presentation, Annunciation and Visitation; Holy Cross Day (because I don't hold with it); All Saints (here and here); and Reformation Day (here and here). If I continue posting them on the day of each observance, my next assignment will be due on Jan. 24 (St. Timothy), but then I've also written a hymn about him; and I may want to backfill with the first two installments in church-year order, St. Andrew (Nov. 30) and St. Thomas (Dec. 21). Anyway, look for more of these hymns in the near future!