Scripture Verse

There was…a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13–14

Introduction

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William Gadsby (1773–1844)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Will­iam Gad­sby, The Na­za­rene’s Songs (Man­ches­ter, Eng­land: 1814), num­ber 5, alt.

Music: Guide Mar­cus M. Wells, 1858 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Wells (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

At the birth of Christ our king,
Angels made the hea­vens ring,
Singing with a so­lemn joy,
Glory to the Lord on high.

In an­gel­ic heights of bliss,
They His ma­jes­ty con­fess;
Ravished with so grand a scene,
They re­new their songs to Him.

Glory in the high­est height,
Blazing with ma­jes­tic light,
Shine in Da­vid’s root and rod,
The in­car­nate Son of God.

Nature in its bright­est glow,
Never can such glo­ry show;
Here alone, the great Three-One,
Put Their bright­est glo­ries on.

O the won­ders of God’s ways,
Here I AM, Him­self dis­plays;
And in spite of hell and sin,
Here His hon­ors He’ll main­tain.

Sinners here by faith may view,
What Om­ni­po­tence can do;
And in mea­sures sweet­ly trace,
The rich trea­sures of this grace.

Come, ye mourn­ing souls, re­joice,
Look, and with a cheer­ful voice,
Sing the hon­ors of your God,
Blazing in th’in­car­nate word.

Soon the whole elect shall know
All the glo­ry God can show;
And in bliss im­mor­tal sing,
Hallelujahs to their king.