Scripture Verse

Suddenly there was…a great company 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: Ano­ny­mous, be­fore 1923.

Music: Glor­ia French ca­rol (🔊 pdf nwc). For a slight­ly dif­fer­ent ar­range­ment, see An­gels We Have Heard on High.

If you know the au­thor,

Lyrics

Hearken, all! what ho­ly sing­ing
Now is sound­ing from the sky!
’Tis a hymn with grand­eur ring­ing,
Sung by voic­es clear and high.

Refrain

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo,
Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

On the plain, the sim­ple shep­herds
Watched their flocks the long night through;
From on high they heard the voic­es,
Sounding through the heav’n­ly blue.

Refrain

See, with­in the man­ger low­ly,
Wide the Christ Child spreads His arms.
Raise to Him your joy­ful voic­es,
Sing we all No­el, No­el.

Refrain