Quem terra, pontus, sidera

The God whom earth, and sea, and sky

The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal

Quem terra, pontus, sidera
Colunt, adorant, prædecant
Trinam regentem machinam,
Claustrum Mariæ bajulat.
Cui luna, sol, et omnia
Deserviunt per tempora,
Perfusa cœli gratia,
Gestant puellæ viscera.
Beata Mater munere,
Cujus supernus artifex
Mundum pugillo continens,
Ventris sub arca clausus est.
Beata cœli nuntio,
Fœcunda sancto Spiritu,
Desideratus gentibus,
Cujus per alvum fusus est.
Jesu tibi sit gloria,
Qui natus es de Virgine,
Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu
In sempiterna sæcula.

The God whom earth, and sea, and sky
Adore, and laud, and magnify,
Who o’er their threefold fabric reigns,
The Virgin’s spotless womb contains.
The God, whose will by moon and sun
And all things in due course is done,
Is borne upon a Maiden’s breast,
By fullest heavenly grace possest,
How blest that Mother, in whose shrine
The great Artificer Divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Vouchsafed, as in His ark, to lie.
Blest, in the message Gabriel brought;
Blest, by the work the Spirit wrought;
From whom the Great Desire of earth
Took human flesh and human birth.
All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Author: Ascribed to Fortunatus (530-609). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are eighteen translations. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Matins on Feasts of the Blessed Virgin which have no proper hymn for Matins. The Original Text has æthera for sidera in the first line. This is the only point of difference between the Original and the Revised Text. The hymn for Lauds is a continuation of this hymn. The texts differ in several instances.

“The womb of Mary carried the Ruler of the triple kingdom, Him, whom earth, and sea, and sky honor, adore and praise.” Trina machina may refer either to “terra, pontus, æthera,” or to the threefold rule of Christ over “those that are in heaven, on earth, or under the earth” (Philip. 2, 10). Claustrum, lit., a bolt, bar; by meton., an enclosure.
“The womb of a Virgin, filled with the grace of Heaven, bears Him to whom the moon and sun and all things are, at all times, subject.” Spiritus Sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi (Luke 1, 35).
“O Mother, blessed by a (singular) gift, in the ark of whose womb was enclosed the heavenly Creator, who holds the universe in the hollow of His hand.” Munus, the singular privilege of being the Mother of God. Mundum pugillo continens: Quis mensus est pugillo aquas, et cœlos palmo ponderavit? quis appendit tribus digitis molem terræ, et libravit in pondere montes, et colles in statera? (Is. 40, 12). Constr.: Sub cujus arca ventris clausus est.
“Blessed by the message of Heaven, overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, out of whose womb came forth the Desired of Nations.” Nuntium, i, a message; here, the Annunciation (Luke 1, 26-38). Desideratus gentibus: Et veniet Desideratus cunctis gentibus (Aggeus 2, 8).