Holy Queen we Bend Before Thee

This Marian hymn is particularly suitable for the feast of the Assumption.

Its original source is unclear: hymnals it is published in include

The Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal, Philadelphia, 1900
The Westminster Hymnal, 1912, No 104. This attributes it to S Casimir, translated by Rev E Vaughan CSSR, includes a lot more verses than the later publications, and sets it to the tune SICILIAN MARINERS HYMN
The Crown Hymnal (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1912) - which attributes it to L. J. Kavanagh and James M. McLaughlin,
The American Catholic Hymnal (1913), which says it was translated by Edward Casswall.
The St Andrew Hymnal, Glasgow (1964) which also attributes it to Edward Casswall.
The Nigerian Catholic Hymn Book, 1988

From these publication dates, it is safe to assume that the hymn is now in the public domain.

There are two versions in use: one has a chorus, which the other has verses only, and has the "chorus" section included at the start of the third verse. The slides below are for the version with chorus, while the sheet music is for the combined version, set to a tune by George Herbert (d 1906.

Downloads

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Sheet music (melody line)

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Group from Singapore singing unaccompanied in a church in Jerusalem (with very strong reverberation)

Small group, with electronic keyboard:

Small band:

Instrumental - organ:

Lyrics

Version 1 - with chorus

Holy Queen we bend before thee,
Queen of purity divine,
Make us love thee, we implore thee
Make us truly to be thine.

Chorus:
Teach O teach us, Holy Mother,
How to conquer every sin,
How to love and help each other
How the prize of life to win.

Thou to whom a child was given,
Greater than the sons of men
Coming down from highest heaven
To create the world again.

O by that Almighty Maker
Whom thyself, a virgin bore
O by the Supreme Creator
Linked with thee for ever more.

Oh the hope thy name inspires,
By our doom, reversed thru, thee
Help us Queen of Angel Choirs
To a blest eternity.

Version 2 - no chorus, verses combined

Holy Queen, we come before thee,
Queen of purity divine,
Make us love thee, we implore thee,
Make us truly to be thine.
Thou by faith the gates unfolding
Of the kingdom in the skies
Hast to us, by faith beholding,
Shown the land of Paradise.

Teach thy children, holy Mother,
How to conquer ev'ry sin,
How to love and help each other,
How eternal life to win
Thou to whom a Child was given
Greater than the sons of men,
Coming down from highest heaven
To create the world again.

Oh, by that Almighty Maker
Whom thyself a virgin bore,
Oh, by that supreme Creator
Whom you praise forevermore,
By the hope thy name inspires,
By our doom reversed through thee,
Help us, Queen of angel choirs,
To a blest eternity.