Movement 1 – Gabriel before the Throne

1 Gabriel, I’ve summoned you
The time at last has come
To send among the fallen
My dear beloved Son

2 My Lord and God I pray Thee
Of course, I serve Your will
And yet I beg your patience
My wanting mind to fill

3 Why these, who barely notice you?
Who walk in sin and pride
Who speak your name in blasphemy
And cast your law aside?

4 Nor do I wonder all alone
‘Tis all of Heaven’s host
We marvel why you love them so
When they despise you most

5 It grieves us so to see them
Their rampant godless ways
While you propose to send them Grace
Your Son Of highest praise

6 We fear the turn this path will take
We’ve watched them through our tears
Millennia of wickedness
No light in them appears

7 We fear they will not honor Him
Heav’n’s sweetest, highest crown                                                          Who holds in every angel’s heart
Love’s highest, best renown

8 We faint to think of parting from
His glory shining bright
And seeing Him descending
Into mankind’s blackest night

9 We beg you, spare us losing Him
We truly cannot bear
To have His light hid from our eyes
His presence not to share

10 And there the mighty angel knelt
And wept, before the throne
Who from his own creation
Triune light had only known

11 Gabriel, My messenger
My wisdom you know well
You’ve served Me and been faithful
And stood when others fell

12 My Son, you know, is willing
He takes this task in love
They will not recognize Him
As sent from Heav’n above

13 In time, they will reject Him
Arrest and beat and bruise
They’ll mock and slap and slander
And dreadfully abuse

14 In unearned rage and hatred
They’ll crown His Head with thorns
Then nail and crucify Him
His body wracked and torn

15 He’ll die, as if a sinner
Though holiest of all
He’ll die in place of sinners
To save them from their Fall

16 For this is in our bosom
A love for those we made
Created in our image
Though fallen and depraved

17 Within our Triune wisdom
A myst’ry does abide
To pour out grace and mercy
In purchasing a Bride

18 Don’t faint my faithful angel
More glory yet, will shine
Redemption when completed
Will vindicate our mind

19 What you have never tasted
What only they can know
Grace to the undeserving
And mercy overflow