Kyrie (Greek for 'Lord, Have Mercy')
Explanation: The phrase (found in Mark 10, among other places) is more than just a cry for mercy. In ancient times, when a ruler would enter a city, he would do so either to commend someone for a particularly heroic act or to halt an insurrection. The citizens would gather to greet the ruler and shout, "Kyrie, eleison," pleading that their city be spared.
Likewise, our heavenly Ruler comes to His holy city of Zion in the Divine Service. Because we have rebelled against His perfect Law, we cower in terror and plead with Him not to destroy us for our insurrection (sin), but to deal with us graciously. We beg our benevelant King to have mercy on us, a sinner. (Luke 18:13)
Both sacramental and sacrificial (We greet our King Who is coming to us, having His promise of forgiveness).
Hymns: The LSB devotes an entire section in the back of its hymnal to hymnified portions of the liturgy. Also, The Advent of Our King (331), vv. 1-3,6; O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (334), vv. 1,3,5; O Bride of Christ, Rejoice (335), vv. 1,5; The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns (348), vv. 1,5; Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come (350), v.4.
Gloria in Excelsis (Latin for 'Glory in the Highest')
Explanation: Assured He will come with mercy, we burst forth in song, proclaiming Who He is and what He has done for us. We sing the very same song that the angels sang when Christ physically came to earth (Immanuel- God-with-Us) to pay for the sin of all people, just as He comes here physically with His presence (assured in the Invocation), as well as in, with, and under the forms of bread and the wine, to forgive our sins. The proclamation text is really a paraphrase of the Te Deum, the canticle (Biblical song) for Matins (Morning Service). "Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world" is a reference to the quote of St. John the Baptist, when Jesus came to be baptised by John at the start of His ministry; likewise Christ is about to minister to us in His Word. The reference of Jesus as the Lamb of God is continued in a paraphrase of Revelation.
OR
This Is the Feast
Explanation: The image of Christ as the Lamb of God is repeated with added imagery from Revelation. The concept of praising God for Who He is and what has done is also continued. The imagery of Christmas has been replaced with the imagery of the End Time, when the angels will sing in response to Immanuel. "...has begun His reign:" We pray that Christ begins His reign in our hearts, through the hearing of His Word.
I really appreciate the two options, both because it highlights the Lutheran concept of the freedom of rites in the Divine Service, as well as this blog's motif 'variation on a liturgical theme.' 'This Is the Feast' could also be a great Communion hymn, as we are united with the "angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven."
Scripture: Luke 2:14; John 1:29; Revelation 5:12-13;19:5-9
Alternatives: Finding contemporary songs that acclaim God is easy. Finding songs that also reference Christ coming to us is not quite as easy; finding ones that reference Revelation is even tougher; but finding all of these in one is nearly impossible. My suggestion would be to sing two or three songs to cover what the Hymn of Praise does. Do God's people have to have these exact references? No, we have freedom in Christ; yet "What is permissible is not necessarily beneficial."
Hymns: All Glory Be to God Alone (LSB 948) can be sung to the Sussex Carol as a Christmas alternative. LSB 204 (To God on High Be Glory) can be sung to Valet Will ich dir Geben (LSB 442), referencing Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
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