Sweeter sounds that music knows

sweeter sounds than music knows
charm me, in emmanuel’s name;
all her hopes my spirit owes
to his birth, and cross, and shame.

when he came the angels sang
“glory be to god on high,”
lord, unloose my stammering tongue,
who should louder sing than i.

did the lord a man become
that he might the law fulfill,
bleed and suffer in my room,
and canst thou, my tongue, be still?

no, i must my praises bring,
though they worthless are, and weak;
for should i refuse to sing
sure the very stones would speak.

o my savior, shield, and sun,
shepherd, brother, husband, friend,
every precious name in one;
i will love thee without end.