Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

The text of this classic hymn finds its roots in the 4th century in what is commonly known as “The Liturgy of St. James.” In its original context, the hymn was sung as the bread and wine were brought into the worship gathering, calling people to holy reverence in light of the mystery and majesty of the Incarnate Word of God who gave Himself to be true food and true drink for His people.

The first stanza enters directly into the theme of the entire song: reverence…awe…the Holy Fear of the Lord. He is the Word Incarnate. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the book of Proverbs teaches us. Paul teaches us about the Lord Jesus who, though He was in the form of God, did not count His equality with God a thing to be maintained. Instead, He humbled Himself, descending to the earth, taking on the form of a servant. He is the King, the Son described in Psalm 2 that we are to “kiss” – to “pay homage to.” His glorious incarnation demands that we bow the knee and worship Him.

The second stanza reflects upon the two natures of Christ – fully God and fully man – as well as the Virgin birth and His being the Bread of Life. Christ is the true King that, according to Psalm 72, all kings should bow before. And yet this glorious King is, as the gospels tell us, also humbly born of the Virgin Mary. This virgin-born King in His earthly life told His followers on the night that He was betrayed that the Passover meal of bread and wine has always been a shadow of His substance. A form that He is the fullness of. His body, the bread to feed our souls. His blood, the wine of the New Covenant.

The third stanza calls to mind both John 1 (Christ being the true light of man) and the Nicene Creed, which describes the Lord Jesus as…

“God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.”

This life that is the Light of Men is the one whom the darkness of our sin, the kingdom of darkness, and the fallenness of this world cannot overcome.

The fourth stanza recalls the scene that both the Prophet Isaiah and John the Revelator saw of the throne room of God with the hosts of heaven who, day and night, never stop saying “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty.” The text of this hymn harkens back to texts like Psalm 148 that repeatedly call God’s people to cry out “Alleluia” or “Praise the Lord.” 

Eternal praises are due to the Eternal King. Humble worship is due to the Humble Servant. 

The prophet Habbakuk, in confronting the Chaldeans for their idolatry – crafting their own idols and worshiping their own creation – points to the uniqueness of the God of Israel and His distinctiveness amongst the gods of the nation. Yahweh the Lord is in His Holy temple; the gods of the nations are not. And because of His glorious holiness, all flesh should be silent before Him.

The season of Advent calls us not to move quickly to the sentiment of the “holidays.” Advent calls us, instead, to adoration, worship, and reverential awe of the incarnate Word of God, the Lord Jesus. So as you consider Christ’s coming, keep silent. Ponder and treasure the words of God in your heart like the Virgin Mary. As you take the Lord’s Supper, do so not just with a rejoicing heart, but a reverential one.