Scripture Verse

Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10

Introduction

Words: Mrs. M. L. Sey­mour, in the Wreath of Praise, ed­it­ed by Asa Hull (New York; Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio; & Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Da­ni­el W. Knowles, John Church & Hen­ry A. Sum­ner, 1879), page 156.

The lyr­ics are in quest­ion-an­swer form. The orig­in­al pub­li­ca­tion had this note: There should be two du­ets or se­mi-cho­rus­es: One for the quest­ions, the oth­er for the answers. If sung by a chil­dren’s choir, you might have girls sing the first answer and se­cond quest­ion, and boys sing the first quest­ion and se­cond an­swer.

Music: Asa Hull (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Sey­mour’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of her (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Hull,

portrait
Asa Hull (1828–1907)

Lyrics

First Quest­ion

Under cold De­cem­ber skies,
Verdant na­ture frost­bound lies,
Lending nei­ther charm nor grace
To this fes­tive, hap­py place.
Tell me, then, O what is this—
Charms the sens­es, lights the face?
Why are all these pret­ty toys
Ready for the girls and boys?

First An­swer

Nature’s bonds of ice and snow
Melt be­neath the sun’s warm glow—
Long ago, and far away,
Christ was born on Christ­mas day.
Wise men guid­ed by His star,
Sought the Sav­ior from afar.
Precious of­fer­ings brought to Him,
To the long-ex­pect­ed King.

Refrain

On this mer­ry, mer­ry Christ­mas day,
We come with hearts so light and gay;
Merry, mer­ry Christ­mas we will sing,
And grate­ful­ly our off’­rings bring.
Happy hearts we bring!
Cheerful songs we sing!
And mer­ri­ly the church bells ring;
Happy hearts we bring!
Cheerful songs we sing!
And mer­ri­ly the church bells ring.

Second Quest­ion

Why do you so ve­ry long
Keep His birt­hday when He’s gone?
Give to oth­ers what you bring
On the birth­day of a king?
Other birth­days die with men,
Why so long re­mem­ber Him?
Why the lone­some ev­er­green
Bring to deck the Christ­mas scene?

Second An­swer

Promised long, God’s on­ly Son
Blessing brought to ev­ery one;
May we long remember Him
In the off’rings that we bring.
He is with us, though away,
Making glad the Christ­mas day.
In this change­less ev­er­green
His un­chang­ing love is seen.

Refrain

illustration