192

8s, 7. 61. 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,

Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
2 Shepherds, in the field abiding,

Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant-light;

Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
3 Sages, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star ;

Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
4 Saints before the altar bending,

Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear ;

Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.

J. Montgomery. 193

C. M. 81. 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, good-will to men,

From heaven's all-gracious King ;
The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing,

To hear the angels sing.
2 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 heavenly wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds

The blessed angels sing.
3 0 ye, beneath life's crushing load,

Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way

With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours

Come swiftly on the wing ;
O rest beside the weary road,

And hear the angels sing.
4 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 splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

E. H. Sears. 194

C. M. 81.
CALM on the listning ear of night

Come heaven's melodious strains, i
Where wild Judea stretches far.

Her silver-mantled plains.
Celestial choirs from courts above

Shed sacred glories there ;
And angels, with their sparkling lyres,

Make music on the air.

2 The answering hills of Palestine

Send back the glad reply ;
And greet, from all their holy heights,

The day-spring from on high.
O'er the blue depths of Galilee

There comes a holier calm,
And Sharon waves, in solemn praise,

Her silent groves of palm.
3. “Glory to God !” the sounding skies

Loud with their anthems ring,
“Peace to the earth, good-will to men,

From heaven's eternal King !"
Light on Thy hills, Jerusalem !

The Saviour now is born :
More bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains
Breaks the first Christmas morn.

E. H. Sears. 195

8,6,6,8,6,6 ALL my heart this night rejoices,

As I hear, far and near, Sweetest angel voices ;

“ Christ is born,” their choirs are singing, Till the air ev'rywhere

Now with joy is ringing. 2 Hark! a voice from yonder manger,

Soft and sweet, doth entreat, “Flee from woe and danger ! Brethren, come! from all that grieves

you You are freed ; all you need

I will surely give you.” 3 Come, then, let us hasten yonder !

Here let all, great and small, Kneel in awe and wonder !

Love Him who with love is yearning ! Hail the Star that from far

Bright with hope is burning!

4 Heedfully my Lord I'll cherish,

Live to Thee, and with Thee
Dying, shall not perish;

But shall dwell with Thee for ever,
Far on high, in the joy
That can alter never.

P. Gerhardt. Tr. C. Winkworth.

196

7s.61.
SING, O sing, this blessed morn;
Unto us a child is born,
Unto us a Son is giv'n,
God Himself comes down from heav'n ;
Sing, O sing, this blessed morn,

Jesus Christ to-day is born.
2 God of God, and Light of light,

Comes with mercies infinite,
Joining in a wondrous plan
Heaven to earth, and God to man.

Sing, O sing, etc. 3 God with us,

Emmanuel
Deigns for ever now to dwell ;
He on Adam's fallen race
Sheds the fulness of His grace.

Sing, O sing, etc.
4 God comes down that man may rise,

Lifted by Him to the skies ;
Christ is Son of Man that we
Sons of God in Him may be.

Sing, O sing, etc.
5 O renew us, Lord, we pray,

With Thy Spirit day by day,
That we ever one may be
With the Father and with Thee.
Sing, O sing, etc.

C. Wordsworth.

197

C. M. 81. 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.
2 “To you, in David's town, this day

Is born of David's line
The 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 wrapt in swathing bands,

And in a manger laid.”
3 Thus spake the seraph ; and forth with

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.

N. Tate.

198

C. M. Joy to the world! the Lord is come :

Let earth receive her King ;
Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heav'n and nature sing.