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

Words & Mu­sic: Fran­cis Stan­field, St. Pat­rick’s Hymn Book 1862 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

At hour of si­lent mid­night,
O mys­te­ry of love,
Earth’s longed and sighed for Sav­ior
Descended from above;
Awake, awake, cre­ation!
Arise, for Light has come;
Lo! earth is changed to Hea­ven,
For earth is Je­sus’ home:
Lo! earth is changed to Hea­ven,
For earth is Je­sus’ home.

Refrain

Glory to God on high!
Praise to our king, our new­born king!
Peace un­to men on earth,
Sweet in­fant Je­sus, bring.

Amid the star­lit hea­vens
There shines a glo­ri­ous light,
And hosts of gleam­ing an­gels
Illume the lone­ly night;
They leave their thrones of glo­ry
To seek their new­born king,
And, ranged in count­less ar­mies,
Glad hymns of tri­umph sing:
And, ranged in count­less ar­mies,
Glad hymns of tri­umph sing.

Refrain

The prais­es of the an­gels
Were waft­ed from above,
And shep­herds left their night watch
To seek the God of love;
They longed to gaze on Je­sus,
To see the new­born Child—
They found the God of Hea­ven,
An in­fant meek and mild;
They found the God of Hea­ven,
An in­fant meek and mild.

Refrain

And there the mo­ther kneel­ing,
Bends fond­ly o’er her Son,
Watching with bless­èd Jo­seph,
Her cher­ished Lit­tle One.
See Je­sus in the man­ger,
How still and meek He lies;
Now smiles play on His fea­tures,
Now tears are in His eyes.
Now smiles play on His fea­tures,
Now tears are in His eyes.

Refrain

Christians re­deemed, oh, hast­en
To Beth­le­hem’s sac­red shrine
And come, draw nigh to Je­sus
To kiss His feet di­vine.
Oh, bless our new-born Sav­ior,
Our in­fant God ad­ore;
Till love shall sweet­ly lead us
Home to th’eter­nal shore;
Till love shall sweet­ly lead us
Home to th’eter­nal shore.

Refrain