Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Σιγησάτω πᾶσα σὰρξ βροτεία

Text by from Liturgy of St. James

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About this hymn

Date: 4th century / 1864
Tune: Picardy
Composer: Traditional French melody
Key: F
Meter: 8 7 8 7 8 7

Historical background

Gerard Moultrie translated this text from the Liturgy of St. James; the English hymn became closely associated with the traditional French tune Picardy.

Theology & Scripture

Its eucharistic and incarnational imagery calls creation to reverent silence before Christ the King.

Hab 2:20 · Acts 1:10-11 · 1Thess 4:16-17 · 1Cor 11:23-26 · Lk 2:8-15

Musical background

Picardy is presented in the documented public-domain setting named by the source score. This edition contains four-part SATB harmony in F.

Sources & rights

Verified for United States on 2026-10-12. Public domain — source score marking

Words: from Liturgy of St. James, 4th Century. Translated by Gerard Moultrie, 1864. Music: 'Picardy' traditional French. Setting: "The English Hymnal", 1906, alt. copyright: public domain. This score is a part of the Open Hymnal Project, 2008 Revision.
Music source: The Episcopal Hymnal, 191x Hymn 339 and English Hymnal 1906 Hymn 318.