1
Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth!
Come… and worship
Christ, the new-born King:
Come… and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
Shepherds in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing:
Yonder shines the infant light!
Come… and worship…..
Sages, leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of Nations.
Ye have seen his natal star:
Come… and worship…..
Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In his temple shall appear.
Come… and worship….
2
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
3
Born in the night,
Mary’s child,
A long way from your home;
Coming in need,
Mary’s child,
Born in a borrowed room.
Clear shining light,
Mary’s child,
Your face lights up our way;
Light of the world,
Mary’s child,
Dawn on our darkened day.
Truth of our life,
Mary’s child,
You tell us God is good;
Prove it is true,
Mary’s child,
Go to your cross of wood.
Hope of the world,
Mary’s child,
You’re coming soon to reign;
King of the earth,
Mary’s child,
Walk in our streets again.
4
Christians, awake! Salute the happy morn,
Whereon the Saviour of the world was born;
Rise to adore the mystery of love,
Which hosts of angels chanted from above:
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God incarnate and the Virgin’s Son.
Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
Who heard the angelic herald’s voice, ‘Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Saviour’s birth
To you and all the nations upon earth:
This day hath God fulfilled his promised word,
This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.’
O may we keep and ponder in our mind
God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind;
Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
From his poor manger to his bitter cross;
Tread in his steps, assisted by his grace,
Till man’s first heavenly state again takes place.
Then may we hope, the angelic hosts among,
To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song:
He that was born upon this joyful day
Around us all his glory shall display;
Saved by his love, incessant we shall sing
Eternal praise to heaven’s almighty King.
5
Come and join the celebration,
It’s a very special day;
Come and share our jubilation,
There’s a new King born today!
See the shepherds
hurry down to Bethlehem;
gaze in wonder
at the Son of God who lay
before them.
Come and join …
Wise men journey,
led to worship by a star,
kneel in homage,
bringing precious gifts
from lands afar, so
Come and join …
“God is with us,”
round the world the message bring;
He is with us,
“Welcome!” all the bells on earth are pealing.
Come and join …
6
Ding-dong! Merrily on high
in heaven the bells are ringing.
Ding-dong! Verily the sky
is riven with angels singing:
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis;
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!
E’en so here below, below,
let steeple bells be swungen;
And i-o, i-o, i-o,
by priest and people sungen!
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis….
Pray you, dutifully prime
your matin chime, ye ringers;
May you beautifully rime
your evetime song, ye singers:
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis…
7
Every star shall sing a carol;
Every creature, high or low,
Come and praise the King of Heaven
By whatever name you know.
God above, Man below,
Holy is the name I know.
When the King of all creation
Had a cradle on the earth,
Holy was the human body,
Holy was the human birth.
God above…
Who can tell what other cradle
High above the Milky Way
Still may rock the King of Heaven
On another Christmas Day?
God above…
Who can count how many crosses,
Still to come or long ago,
Crucify the King of Heaven?
Holy is the name I know.
God above…
Who can tell what other body
He will hallow for his own?
I will praise the Son of Mary
Brother of my blood and bone.
God above…
Every star and every planet,
Every creature high and low,
Come and praise the King of Heaven
By whatever name you know
God above…
8
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
O’er wandering flocks by night,
Behold, from out of heaven,
There shone a holy light.
Go, tell it on the mountain….
And lo, when they had seen it,
They all bowed down and prayed;
They travelled on together
To where the Babe was laid.
Go, tell it on the mountain….
O when I was a seeker,
I sought both night and day:
I asked my Lord to help me
And he showed me the way.
Go, tell it on the mountain….
Then he made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, tell it on the mountain….
9
God rest ye merry gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day,
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray:
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy!
O tidings of comfort and joy!
From God our heavenly Father
A blessèd angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name:
O tidings of comfort and joy….
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray:
O tidings of comfort and joy….
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All anger should efface:
O tidings of comfort and joy….
10
Good Christians all, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say:
News! News!
Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before him bow,
And he is in the manger now:
Christ is born today,
Christ is born today!
Good Christians all, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Joy! Joy!
Jesus Christ was born for this.
He hath opened heaven’s door:
And we are blessed for evermore:
Christ was born for this,
Christ was born for this!
Good Christians all, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Peace! Peace!
Jesus Christ was born to save;
Calls you one, and calls you all,
To gain his everlasting hall:
Christ was born to save,
Christ was born to save!
11
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With the angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”.
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb;
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as Man with man to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace,
Hail the Sun of Righteousness;
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
12
Infant holy,
Infant lowly,
For his bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing,
Little knowing,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging,
Angels singing,
Nowells ringing,
Tidings bringing,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping;
Shepherds keeping
Vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory,
Heard the story,
Tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing,
Free from sorrow,
Praises voicing,
Greet the morrow,
Christ the Babe was born for you!
Christ the Babe was born for you!
13
In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter,
Long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When he comes to reign;
In the bleak midwinter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air –
But his mother only,
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Belovèd
With a kiss.
What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him –
Give my heart.
14
It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heaven’s all-gracious King”.
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong:
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing!
For lo! The days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When, with the ever-circling years,
Comes round the age of gold:
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world send back the
song
Which now the angels sing.
15
It was on a starry night,
When the hills were bright,
Earth lay sleeping,
sleeping calm and still.
Then in a cattle shed,
In a manger bed,
A boy was born
king of all the world.
And all the angels sang for him,
The bells of heaven rang for him,
For a boy was born
King of all the world.
And all the angels sang for him,
The bells of heaven rang for him,
For a boy was born
King of all the world.
Soon the shepherds came that way,
Where the baby lay,
And were kneeling,
kneeling by his side;
And their hearts believed again
For the peace of men,
For a boy was born
king of all the world.
And all the angels sang for him …
16
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven
and nature sing!
Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns;
Your sweetest songs employ;
While fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world
with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders,
and wonders of his love.
17
Little donkey, little donkey,
on the dusty road,
Got to keep on plodding onwards
with your precious load.
Been a long time, little donkey,
through the winter’s night;
Don’t give up now, little donkey,
Bethlehem’s in sight.
Ring out those bells tonight,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
Follow that star tonight,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
Little donkey, little donkey,
had a heavy day.
Little donkey, carry Mary
safely on her way.
Little donkey, carry Mary
safely on her way.
18
Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew,
Come to make all things new,
Bear his people’s burden,
Freely love and pardon.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?
God in time, God in man,
This is God’s timeless plan:
He will come,
As a man,
Born himself of woman,
God divinely human.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring…
Mary, hail! Though afraid,
She believed, she obeyed.
In her womb God is laid,
Till the time expected,
Nurtured and protected.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring…
Journey ends: where afar
Bethlem shines, like a star,
Stable door stands ajar.
Unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes,
Jesus comes:
We will make him welcome.
19
Long time ago in Bethlehem,
So the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy-child, Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas Day.
Hark now, hear the angels sing
A new king born today!
And we may live for evermore
Because of Christmas Day.
Trumpets sound and angels sing
Listen to what they say,
That we may live for evermore
Because of Christmas Day.
While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
Them see a bright new shining star;
Them hear a choir sing – the music
Seems to come from afar.
Hark now, hear the angels sing…
Now Joseph and his wife Mary
Come to Bethlehem that night
She have no place to bear her child –
Not a single room was in sight
Hark now, hear the angels sing…
By and by they find a little nook
In a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark,
Mary’s little boy was born.
Hark now, hear the angels sing…
Long time ago in Bethlehem,
So the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy-child, Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas Day.
Hark now, hear the angels sing…
20
Mary had a baby, yes Lord;
Mary had a baby, yes my Lord;
Mary had a baby, yes Lord!
The people keep a-coming
For to see her child!
What did she name him?
Yes, Lord….
Mary named him Jesus
Yes, Lord….
Where was he born?
Yes, Lord….
Born in a stable!
Yes, Lord….
Where did she lay him?
Yes, Lord….
Laid him in a manger!
Yes, Lord….
21
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord.
God of God,
Light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten not created,
O come, let us adore Him….
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above,
Glory to God
In the highest;
O come, let us adore Him…..
22
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth;
For Christ is born of Mary;
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given.
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin;
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.
23
Of the Father’s love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending he,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.
O that birth forever Blessèd,
When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Saviour of our race,
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed his sacred face,
Evermore and evermore.
O ye heights of heaven, adore him;
Angel hosts, his praises sing;
Powers, dominions bow before him, And extol our God and King;
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring,
Evermore and evermore.
24
On Christmas night all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring,
On Christmas night all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring –
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad –
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?
When sin departs before his grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
When sin departs before his grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the new-born King.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
‘Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore. Amen.’
25
Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle-shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven
Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable,
And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And through all his wondrous childhood
He would honour and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden
In whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as he.
For he is our childhood’s pattern,
Day by day like us he grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tear and smiles like us he knew;
And he feeleth for our sadness
And he shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see him
Through his own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on
To the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
We shall see him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high,
When like stars, his children crowned,
All in white shall wait around.
26
Rat-a tat-tat, Rat-a tat-tat,
No! No! No!
There isn’t any room
And you can’t stay here,
There isn’t any room for strangers.
The wind may be chill
And the night may be cold,
And be full of nasty noises in the dark
and dangers.
But there isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room for strangers.
Rat-a tat-tat, Rat-a tat-tat,
Yes! Yes! Yes!
There is a little room
And you may stay here,
There is a little room for strangers.
Come in from the night
To the stable so bare
Which is full of warmth and
friendliness and safe from dangers.
Yes, there is a little room,
There is a little room,
There is a little room for strangers.
27
See, amid the winter’s snow
Born for us on earth below,
See, the tender Lamb appears
Promised from eternal years.
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies,
He who, throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim.
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!….
Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
What your joyful news today?
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!….
“As we watched at dead of night
Lo, we saw a wondrous light:
Angels singing ‘Peace on earth’
Told us of the Saviour’s birth.”
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!….
Sacred Infant, all divine,
What a tender love was thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this!
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!….
Teach, O teach us, holy child,
By thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble thee
In thy sweet humility.
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!….
28
See him lying on a bed of straw:
A draughty stable with an open door;
Mary cradling the babe she bore –
The Prince of Glory is his name.
O now carry me to Bethlehem
To see the Lord appear to men!
Just as poor as was the stable then,
The Prince of Glory when he came.
Star of silver, sweep across the skies,
Show where Jesus in the manger lies;
Shepherds swiftly from your stupor rise
To see the Saviour of the world!
O now carry me …
Angels, sing again the song you sang,
Bring God’s glory to the heart of man;
Sing that Bethl’em’s little baby can
Be salvation to the soul.
O now carry me…
Mine are riches, from your poverty,
From your innocence, eternity;
Mine forgiveness by your death for me,
Child of sorrow for my joy.
O now carry me…
29
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon virgin and her child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quail at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born.
Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams thy holy face
With the dawn of saving grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
30
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.
‘All hail,’ said he, ‘thou lowly maiden, Mary,
Most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!
‘For known a blessèd Mother thou shalt be.
All generations laud and honour thee.
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favoured lady. Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head.
‘To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said.
‘My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.’
Most highly favoured lady. Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn;
And Christian folk throughout the
world will ever say:
Most highly favoured lady. Gloria!
31
The first Nowell the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in
fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued, both day and night.
Nowell, Nowell, ….
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far,
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Nowell, Nowell, ….
This star drew nigh to the north-west;
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest.
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Nowell, Nowell, ….
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently, upon their knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Nowell, Nowell, ….
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
32
The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir!
The holly bears a blossom
As white as any flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet saviour.
Oh, the rising of the sun…
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To die for all our good.
Oh, the rising of the sun….
The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
Oh, the rising of the sun…
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
Oh, the rising of the sun….
The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown –
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun….
33
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
And they say that his name was Jesus.
He come from the glory –
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory –
He come from the glorious kingdom.
O yes, believer. O yes, believer.
He come from the glory –
He come from the glorious kingdom.
The angels sang when the baby was born,
The angels sang when the baby was born,
The angels sang when the baby was born,
And proclaimed him the Saviour Jesus.
He come from the glory…
The wise men saw where the baby was born,
The wise men saw where the baby was born,
The wise men saw where the baby was born,
And they saw that his name was Jesus.
He come from the glory…
34
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becamest poor.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising
Heavenwards by thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
35
Unto us a boy is born!
King of all creation,
Came he to a world forlorn,
The Lord of every nation,
The Lord of every nation.
Cradled in a stall was he
With sleepy cows and asses:
But the very beasts could see
That he all men surpasses,
That he all men surpasses.
Herod then with fear was filled:
“A prince”, he said “in Jewry”.
All the little boys he killed
At Bethlem in his fury,
At Bethlem in his fury.
Now may Mary’s son, who came
So long ago to love us,
Lead us all with hearts aflame
Unto the joys above us,
Unto the joys above us.
Omega and Alpha he!
Let the organ thunder,
While the choir with peals of glee
Doth rend the air asunder!
Doth rend the air asunder!
36
We three kings of Orient are:
Bearing gifts we travel afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star:
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
MELCHIOR:
Born a King on Bethlehem plain,
Gold I bring, to crown him again –
King for ever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign:
O Star of wonder…
CASPAR:
Frankincense to offer have I,
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God most high:
O Star of wonder…
BALTHAZAR:
Myrrh is mine: its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom:
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb:
O Star of wonder…
Glorious now, behold Him arise,
King, and God, and sacrifice:
Heaven sings ‘Alleluia’,
‘Alleluia’ the earth replies:
O Star of wonder…
37
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around,
“Fear not!” said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind.
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring To you and all mankind.
“To you, in David’s town, this day
Is born of David’s line
A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
And this shall be the sign.
“The heavenly babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid.”
Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels, praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song:
“All glory be to God on high, And to the Earth be peace;
Good-will henceforth from heaven to men,
Begin and never cease!”
38
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.
Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us some figgy pudding
And bring some out here.
Glad tidings we bring
For we all like figgy pudding
For we all like figgy pudding
For we all like figgy pudding
So bring some out here
Glad tidings we bring
And we won’t go until we’ve got some
And we won’t go until we’ve got some
And we won’t go until we’ve got some
So bring some out here.
Glad tidings we bring