Verbum Supernum Prodiens

There are in existence two different versions of this hymn. About the original Verbum supernum prodiens (Celestial Word, to This Our Earth), TPL has this:

Verbum supernum prodiens dates to somewhere around the 6th or 7th century and can be found in monastic breviaries of the 10th century. The hymn is used for the Office of the Readings as an Advent Hymn.

TPL also has the later Thomas Aquinas version of Verbum supernum prodiens, listed in another place, about which it says:

Verbum Supernum was written by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) in honor of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at the specific request of Pope Urban IV (1261-1264) when the Pope established the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1264. It is used as a hymn at Lauds on Corpus Christi. The last two stanzas are used for the hymn O Salutaris Hostia (O Saving Victim).

Our good friend Derek the Ænglican has explained this in the comments: "This is another one of those where Aquinas has taken an early medieval hymn and tweaked it for different theological purposes. As a result there are two texts with the same incipit. It can be quite confusing and I wish Thomas would just stop it...". I disagree with Derek in this one instance, because I love "O Salutaris Hostia," and am happy that Thomas tweaked it - but I do see his point.

So, there are two hymns with the same name - but for the purposes of this post, I'm really interested in the words to the Aquinas hymn, and the last two verses specifically, which are:

O salutaris hostia,
Quæ cæli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.

The English words I'm familiar with are these:

O saving victim, opening wide
the gate of heaven to us below,
our foes press on from every side
thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.

All praise and thanks to thee ascend
for evermore, blest One in Three;
O grant us life that shall not end
in our true native land with thee.

The translation above is from Edward Caswall, 1849, and John Mason Neale, 1854, says Oremus Hymnal. And this is the famous hymn that's sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; at my local convent, it's sung every day immediately following Vespers, to one of eight different tunes.

Here's an mp3 of an Elgar version, a very beautiful motet that I've fallen absolutely in love with, sung by the St. Clement's choir. (I know a different version, which is also very beautiful, but alas cannot find it online.)

Here is the Durham Cathedral Choir singing yet another Elgar version at the Church of Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc de Versailles:



Here's another version:

The procession, exposition, incensing of the altar and singing of "Oh Salutaris Hostia" in preparation for the Litany of the Sacred Heart and the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Filmed at Mother Angelica's Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama.

I'm not sure what this is, but I do really like it:



Here's Giovanni Vianini's Ambrosian Chant Hymn version of Verbum supernum prodiens:



Lastly, here's a beautiful version of the original Verbum supernum prodiens (the Mattins hymn), composed by Damijan Močnik and sung by the University of Utah Singers (unfortunately, the sound is not very strong):



Hymn melodies for the whole year from the Sarum service-books lists Verbum Supernum Prodiens as a Mattins hymn during Advent:

On the 1st Sunday in Advent, and daily (when the Service
is of the Season) until Christmas Day :-

Evensong: Conditor alme siderum ... ... ... 23
Mattins: Verbum supernum prodiens A Patre ... 24
Lauds: Vox clara ecce intonat ... ... ... 24

Below are the two sets of words, to the two different hymns - this one from from this source, and this is the Aquinas version:

Verbum supernum prodiens
Nec Patris linquens dexteram,
Ad opus suum exiens,
Venit ad vitæ vesperam.

In mortem a discipulo
Suis tradendus æmulis,
Prius in vitæ ferculo
Se tradidit discipulis.

Quibus sub bina specie
Carnem dedit et sanguinem;
Ut duplicis substantiæ
Totum cibaret hominem.

Se nascens dedit socium,
Convescens in edulium,
Se moriens in pretium,
Se regnans dat in præmium.

O salutaris hostia,
Quæ cæli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.

(s. Thomas Aquinas)

The Word descending from above,
without leaving the right hand of His Father,
and going forth to do His work,
reached the evening of His life.

When about to be given over
to his enemies by one of his
disciples, to suffer death, He
first gave Himself to His
disciples as the Bread of Life.

Under a twofold appearance
He gave them His Flesh and His Blood;
that He might thus wholly feed us
made up of a twofold substance.

By His birth He gave Himself as our companion;
at the Last Supper He gave Himself as our food;
dying on the Cross He gave Himself as our ransom;
reigning in heaven He gives Himself as our reward.

O saving victim, who throws open
the gate of heaven,
the attacks of bitter enemies oppress us;
give us strength, bring us aid.

Eternal glory be to God,
one in three Persons:
may He give us life forever
in our heavenly home. Amen.

LLPB gives Verbum supernum prodiens as High Word of God (mp3), which uses these words (which are the original early medieval set):

VERBUM supernum prodiens
a Patre lumen exiens,
qui natus orbi subvenis
cursu declivi temporis:

Illumina nunc pectora
tuoque amore concrema;
audita per praeconia
sint pulsa tandem lubrica.

Iudexque cum post aderis
rimari facta pectoris,
reddens vicem pro abditis
iustisque regnum pro bonis,

Non demum artemur malis
pro qualitate criminis,
sed cum beatis compotes
simus perennes caelites.

Sit, Christe, rex piissime,
tibi Patrique gloria
cum Sancto Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

High Word of God, who once didst come,
Leaving Thy Father and Thy home,
To succor by Thy birth our kind,
When, towards Thy advent, time declined,

Pour light upon us from above,
And fire our hearts with Thy strong love,
That, as we hear Thy Gospel read,
All fond desires may flee in dread;

That when Thou comest from the skies,
Great Judge, to open Thine assize,
To give each hidden sin its smart,
And crown as kings the pure in heart,

We be not set at Thy left hand,
Where sentence due would bid us stand,
But with the saints Thy face may see,
Forever wholly loving Thee.

Praise to the Father and the Son,
Through all the ages as they run;
And to the holy Paraclete
Be praise with Them and worship meet. Amen.

Here's the chant score that matches the mp3 above: