Scripture Verse

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Introduction

Words: James Ba­den Pow­ell (1842–1931). Ap­peared in Ca­rols Old and Ca­rols New, by Charles L. Hut­chins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 686.

Music: From Ma­rot’s French psal­ter, 1647 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Night has closed the gates,
Fades away the twi­light,
While all na­ture waits,
Watching for the morn,
When the Christ was born,
Christ the Star of day­light.

Olden pro­phets spake
Many a word of warn­ing;
From your slum­bers wake!
Lo! the heav’ns are riv’n,
For sure a Son is giv’n!

Given with the dawn­ing.

Psalmists sang their song,
Song of lov­ing kind­ness,
Of the pro­mise long,
Sure, with mer­cy dight,
Sure in giv­ing light;
Light unto man’s blind­ness.

Christ, the Light has come,
Christ, true mer­cy bring­ing,
Earth is Hea­ven’s home,
Earth, where an­gels’ cry,
Praise to God on high,
Through the night is ring­ing.

Jesu, Ma­ry’s son!
Born for ev­ery na­tion,
By the grace Thou’st won,
Shed from Hea­ven’s height,
Mercy, truth and light,
In the end, sal­va­tion.