In the ear­ly morning, ear­ly,
Ere the dawn was ev­en nigh,
Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo,
Glory be to God on high.
When the crown-like stars were lus­trous,
When the dew was on the sod,
Sang the an­gels to the shep­herds,
Sang the cho­ris­ters of God.

To the hum­ble Beth­le­hem shep­herds,
On the first glad Christ­mas morn,
Sang the choir of God an­gel­ic,
Christ, the Son of God, is born.
When the dew was white and pear­ly
Flashed a light across the sky,
In the ear­ly morn­ing, ear­ly,
Glory be to God on high.

Glory in the hea­vens eter­nal,
Upon earth be glo­ry, too,
For the day of grace hath brok­en,
And a King is born to you.
In the early morn­ing, ear­ly,
Glory be to God on high
Rang the sound of an­gels harp­ing
Through the still and list­en­ing sky.