Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

portrait
John Brownlie (1857–1925)

Words: Au­thor un­known (τεχθεντος του Χριστου). Trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John Brown­lie in Hymns from the Morn­ing­land (Pais­ley, Scot­land: Al­ex­an­der Gard­ner, 1911).

Music: Ston­ey Frank E. A. Sto­ney, 1916 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

illustration
Adoration of the Shepherds
Agnolo Bronzino
1503–1572

Hail to the morn that dawns on east­ern hills,
More ra­di­ant far than any earth­ly morn;
’Tis hea­ven­ly light that all crea­tion fills—
The Christ is born.

Mystery pro­found, through all the ag­es sealed,
Now, to a world all hope­less, and for­lorn,
In Beth­le­hem’s man­ger is at length re­vealed—
The Christ is born.

Lo, from their watch the herds­men raise their eyes,
For dazz­ling light the robe of night had torn,
And angels poured their rap­tures from the skies—
The Christ is born.

Bring ye your gifts of gold and in­cense rare,
Wise men who come, all tra­vel-stained and worn;
Find ye the Child, and pay your hom­age there—
The Christ is born.

Hail to the morn, the world ex­ult­ing sings;
Only to Him, in feal­ty we are sworn,
Lord of our lives, im­mor­tal King of kings!—
The Christ is born.