O Bread to Pilgrims Given

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, April 6, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1911), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Original Latin text (circa 1600s) by Anonymous

English Translation (1858) by Ray Palmer (1808-1887), U.S. Congregationalist minister

The John Athelstan Laurie Riley translation is here.

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1.  O bread to pilgrims given,

O Food that angels eat,

O Manna sent from heaven,

For heaven-born natures meet,

Give us, for Thee long pining,

To eat till richly filled;

Till earth’s delights resigning,

Our every wish is stilled.

2.  O Fount of love redeeming,

Forth from the Saviour’s heart

In mercy purely streaming,

A Fount of life Thou art:

O let us, freely tasting,

Our burning thirst assuage;

Thy sweetness, never wasting,

Avails from age to age.

3.  Jesus, this feast receiving,

We Thee unseen adore;

Thy faithful word believing,

We take, and doubt no more:

Give us, Thou True and Loving,

On earth to live in Thee;

Then, death the veil removing,

Thy glorious face to see.