Now dies in Da­vid’s city
The world’s dis­cord­ant din,
And slum­ber lulls the tu­mult
In Beth­l’em’s crowd­ed inn.

Refrain

What means that mu­sic ring­ing
From Heav’n at ear­ly morn?
Heard ye an an­gel singing,
The Christ, the Lord, is born?
Heard ye an an­gel sing­ing,
The Christ, the Lord, is born?

The world was dull of hear­ing
To mu­sic from on high:
But shep­herds heard the an­gels
Beneath the bend­ing sky.

Refrain

For Jo­seph and for Ma­ry
There was no room at all:
The bu­sy world could find them
No shel­ter but a stall.

Refrain

But for God’s ho­ly pilgrim
There needs no lord­ly bed:
For lo! an end­less glo­ry
Beams from that low­ly shed.

Refrain