Σιγησάτω πασα σὰρξ βροτεία 

Let all mortal flesh keep silence

with PICARDY

I. Text: Liturgical Origins

The Christian hymn “Let all mortal flesh keep silence” is based on a portion of the Liturgy of St. James, an ancient liturgy believed to have roots in the Jerusalem ministry of the Apostle James the Just, half-brother of Jesus (see Acts 21:17–19). The form of the liturgy preserved and performed by the Orthodox tradition dates to the late fourth or early fifth century, owing to similarities with the Liturgy of St. Basil. It is possibly the work of (or based on the work of) St. Cyril of Jerusalem. The liturgy has parallels to Cyril’s 23rd Catechetical Lecture (ca. 347 | Google Books). One of the oldest surviving manuscripts is Vaticanus Graecus 2282 (9th century), held at the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. The Liturgy of St. James was mentioned in canon 32 of the decrees of the Council in Trullo (The Quinisext Council, 692). Early commentaries on the Liturgy of St. James were written by Moses Bar Kepha, Bishop of Mosul (ca. 813–903), and Dionysius Bar Salibi (d. 1171), Bishop of Armid. It has manuscript traditions in other languages, especially Syriac, but also including Georgian, Armenian, and Ethiopian.

Among the various strains of Orthodoxy, the liturgy is not universally recognized, having been replaced in many traditions by the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, but where it is still used it is most closely associated with the Feast of St. James (October 23) and sometimes also the first Sunday after Christmas.

The Liturgy of St. James includes a Communion rite with a vivid and memorable text, chanted by the priest before the bread and wine are presented (the “Great Entrance,” see Figs. 1–2). The text draws in part from Habakkuk 2:20, “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” 

As an example of how this would be performed in a modern Orthodox context, a notable English version of the liturgy was developed and published by St. Anthony’s Monastery (Florence, Arizona) for their Divine Music Project (Fig. 3 | website). This melody is credited to the Greek cantor Iakovos the Protopsaltis (ca. 1740–1800) of Mt. Athos, Greece. The score includes words in English, Greek, and transliterated Greek.

II. Text: English Hymn

Gerard Moultrie (1829–1885), an Anglican minister and scholar, versified this section of the Liturgy of St. James. His hymn was first published in the second edition of Lyra Eucharistica (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1864 | Fig. 4), a collection of Communion hymns compiled and edited by Orby Shipley. Shipley’s aim in producing the collection was a perceived lack of available hymns on the subject, which he attributed in part to the way “the English Office for Holy Communion is not considered sufficiently elastic to allow of hymns, other than those which the Office itself already contains,” and accordingly, “it is only natural that such hymns from the Latin and from the Greek, as well as those of German and other origin, have been but rarely translated into English verse” (p. vi).

Moultrie’s hymn was based on the prose translation published by J.M. Neale (1818–1866) in his edition of The Liturgies of S. Mark, S. James, S. Clement, S. Chrysostom, S. Basil, and the Church of Malabar, Translated (London: J.T. Hayes, 1859 | Fig. 2). In the preface to that collection, Neale credited the translation to Thomas Rattray, but the text of Neale’s edition does not match Rattray’s edition of 1744. The attribution seems to have been an error, since in the corresponding Greek edition, also edited by Neale, he said “The present edition is not an exact reprint of any of the above mentioned,” a list including Rattray (1744), Trollope (1848), and Neale’s own previous edition in Tetralogia Liturgica (1849). If the Greek edition was his own work, then the corresponding English translation would also have to be his.

The hymn by Moultrie is in four stanzas of three lines (or arguably six lines, 8.7.8.7.8.7). It follows the liturgical text closely, with some elaborations. Moultrie, like Neale, wrote other poems based on Greek and Latin texts, though his are lesser known. Coincidentally, Moultrie spent the last twelve years of his life as warden of St. James’s College, Southleigh, Oxfordshire, England (although the college was named after St. James the Greater). 

Some hymnal editors have omitted or altered the second stanza, pointing to potential concern over the doctrine of transubstantiation in the line “He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food,” especially in relation to the preceding lines, starting with “Christ our God to earth descendeth.” The line itself does not espouse any particular doctrine or interpretation, being consistent with Christ’s own language, “This is my body, which is given for you” (Lk. 22:19, Mt. 26:26, Mk. 14:22, 1 Cor. 11:24). See also Christ’s declaration “I am the bread of life” and the related discussion in John 6:25–59. The imagery of light and darkness in stanza 3 is reflected in John 1:5–9. The picture of angelic worship in stanza 4 (and the sense of supreme reverence in stanza 1) recalls passages such as Isaiah 6:1–3 and Revelation 4.

Hymnologist J.R. Watson, in his Annotated Anthology of Hymns (2002), p. 12, described the hymn this way:

The hymn is a sublime command, and the invocation of silence adds emphasis to the awe-inspiring greatness of God which is signalled in this hymn. This is the opposite of those hymns which express the kindness and closeness of God (“What a friend we have in Jesus”): here God appears in majesty and light, accompanied by the glory of the heavenly host. The Eucharist is celebrated as an event in which this glory is given to the faithful.

A notable alternative text was produced by the accomplished hymnal editor Percy Dearmer (1867–1936) for the Enlarged Edition of Songs of Praise (1931 | Fig. 5). Dearmer’s text starts in imitation of Moultrie’s but then becomes almost entirely his own work. His concept of God seemed to be in want of something less intimidating, as he changed “fear and trembling” into “awe and welcome” in the first line, and “our full homage to demand” into “loving homage to demand.” Dearmer’s version has been repeated in some other collections.

III. Tune

The tune generally synonymous with this text, PICARDY, first appeared in a French songbook, Chansons Populaires des Provinces de France (Paris: Lécrivain et Toubon, 1860 | Fig. 6). This French folk song was transcribed and arranged for piano by J.B. Wekerlin from Mme. Pierre Dupont, who learned it during her childhood in Picardy, France.

The original French text describes a husband and wife who are approached by Jesus, who is disguised as a pauper. The man would rather give his leftovers to his dogs, but the woman feeds him and gives him a room. Jesus then tells her they will both die in three days; she will go to heaven, and he will go to hell. The song is possibly inspired by or adapted from the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19–31.

A translation of this song into English appeared in The Home and Community Song Book, ed. Thomas W. Surett and Archibald T. Davidson (Boston: E.C. Schirmer, 1931 | Fig. 7). The final three stanzas unfold a little differently than in the French above, this version not including any promises of heaven or hell.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) was the first to pair this tune with Moultrie’s text, in The English Hymnal (Oxford: University Press, 1906 | Fig. 8), where Williams named the tune after Mme. Dupont’s childhood residence. The tune is regarded by some scholars as being from the seventeenth century, although the rationale for this is unclear.

Paul Westermeyer, in the Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2010), called this tune “serious and profoundly engaging” (p. 319). The editors of the Companion to Church Hymnal (2005), pp. 578–579, likewise praised the tune and its pairing with Moultrie’s text:

Dr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, with his usual genius for finding a suitable tune to accompany a text, set Moultrie’s hymn to the tune PICARDY, a tune which greatly helps to enhance the hymn’s expression of the sense of awe and mystery we experience in the Eucharist where, in ways beyond our comprehension, our Lord comes “from the realms of endless day” to be present with us “with blessing in his hand.” Text and music together provide a memorable description of the Eucharist as a “window” through which, for a brief moment, we may glimpse the eternal praise and worship offered by “the host of heaven.”

by CHRIS FENNER
for Hymnology Archive
2 December 2019
rev. 26 March 2023

Related Resources:

Liturgy of St. James:

“Liturgy of St. James,” Orthodox Wiki:
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Liturgy_of_St._James

Abba Seraphim, “An introduction to the liturgy of St. James,” The British Orthodox Church:
http://britishorthodox.org/miscellaneous/an-introduction-to-the-liturgy-of-saint-james/

Vaticanus Graecus 2282:
https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat.gr.2282

“Liturgy of St. James,” St. Anthony’s Monastery:
http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/StJames.htm

Thomas Rattray, Ancient Liturgy of the Church of Jerusalem being the Liturgy of St. James, Freed from all latter additions and interpolations of whatever kind, and so restored to its Original Purity: by comparing it with the Account given of that Liturgy by St. Cyril in his fifth Mystagogical Catechism, and with the Clementine Liturgy, &c (London: James Bettenham: 1744): PDF

William Trollope, The Greek Liturgy of St James edited with an English Introduction and Note; together with a Latin Version of the Syriac Copy, and the Greek Text restored to its original purity and accompanied by a literal English Translation (Edinburgh: T & T. Clark, 1848): WorldCat.org

J.M. Neale, The Liturgies of S. Mark, S. James, S. Clement, S. Chrysostom, S. Basil (London: J.T. Hayes, 1859): Archive.org

J.M. Neale, The Liturgies of S. Mark, S. James, S. Clement, S. Chrysostom, S. Basil, and the Church of Malabar, Translated (London: J.T. Hayes, 1859): Archive.org

Charles Mercier, La liturgie de saint Jacques: édition critique du texte grec avec traduction latine (Paris : Firmin-Didot, 1946).

K.N. Daniel, A Critical Study of Primitive Liturgies, Especially that of St. James, 2nd Ed., Rev. & Enl. (Tiruvalla: T.A.M. Press, 1949).

Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, Anaphora: The Divine Liturgy of Saint James the First Bishop of Jerusalem according to the Rite of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, with “The History of Saint James Liturgy” by Dr. M. Moosa (Hackensack, N.J.: Syrian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada: 1967).

The Divine Liturgy of the Holy Glorious Apostle James … Set to Melodies of the Russian Orthodox Church (Basking Ridge, NJ: Monastery of St. Mark of Ephesus, ©1978).

Kurian Valuparampil, “St. James Anaphora: An ecumenical locus. A survey of the origin and development of St. James Anaphora,” Christian Orient, Vol. 8, Issue 4 (1987).

The Divine Liturgy of Saint James (Iakovos), Brother of the Lord: A New Translation by Members of the Faculty of Hellenic College (Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1988).

John R.K. Fenwick, The Anaphoras of St Basil and St James. An Investigation into their Common Origin, Orientalia Christiana Analecta 240 (Rome: Ponificium Institutum Orientale, 1992).

John D. Witvliet, “The Anaphora of St. James,” Essays in Early Eastern Eucharistic Prayers, ed. Paul F. Bradshaw (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1997), pp. 153–172.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Hymn)

Percy Dearmer & Archibald Jacob, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Songs of Praise Discussed (Oxford: University Press, 1933), p. 157.

Albert Edward Bailey, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” The Gospel in Hymns (NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1950), pp. 287–288.

J. Ithel Jones, et al., “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” The Baptist Hymn Book Companon, rev. ed. (London: Psalms and Hymns Trust, 1967), pp. 127–128.

Richard Watson & Kenneth Trickett, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Companion to Hymns and Psalms (Peterborough: Methodist Publishing House, 1988), p. 179.

William J. Reynolds, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: Convention Press, 1992), p. 178.

Fred L. Precht, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Lutheran Worship Hymnal Companion (St. Louis: Concordia, 1992), pp. 258–259.

Carlton R. Young, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Companion to the United Methodist Hymnal (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993), p. 460.

J.R. Watson, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” An Annotated Anthology of Hymns (Oxford: University Press, 2002), pp. 12–13.

Edward Darling & Donald Davison, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Companion to Church Hymnal (Dublin: Columba Press, 2005), pp. 578–579.

Paul Westermeyer, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2010), pp. 318–319.

Carl P. Daw Jr., “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Glory to God: A Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2016), pp. 351–353.

Kristyn Getty, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Getty Music (Dec. 2023): https://www.gettymusic.com/letallmortalfleshkeepsilence

J.R. Watson, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology:
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/l/let-all-mortal-flesh-keep-silence,-and-with-fear-and-trembling-stand

“Let all mortal flesh keep silence,” Hymnary.org:
https://hymnary.org/text/let_all_mortal_flesh_keep_silence