Scripture Verse

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14

Introduction

portrait
J. Lincoln Hall (1866–1930)

Words: Al­ice J. Clea­tor, in The Ser­vice of Praise, by Lin­coln Hall et al. (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Hall-Mack, 1900), num­ber 153.

Music: J. Lin­coln Hall (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Long, long ago, some shep­herds,
Out on Ju­de­an plains,
Heard, from with­in the hea­vens,
Sweetest of an­gel strains.

Refrain

O shep­herds, hast­en on­ward,
Beneath the star­ry dome;
For lo! the pro­mised Sav­ior—
The Prince of Peace is come!
O shep­herds, hast­en onward
And join the glo­ri­ous song,
Of Glo­ry to God, glo­ry to God,
Glory be to God.

Look up, O won­der­ing shep­herds,
Bowed low in deep am­aze;
Hear what the hosts are sing­ing,
From out the star­ry ways.

Refrain

Lo! ’Tis a shin­ing an­gel,
Bids you this won­der­ing cease,
List to the her­ald tid­ings,
’Tis of the Prince of Peace.

Refrain

See! ’Tis a flam­ing splen­dor,
Follow its guid­ing light;
Joyful, O shep­herds, hast­en,
On thro’ il­lum­ined night.

Refrain

On to the ho­ly ci­ty,
Where in a rap­ture sweet,
Kneel, and with an­gels wor­ship,
There at the Sav­ior’s feet.

Refrain

illustration
Shepherds Abiding in the Fields
Carl H. Bloch (1834–1890)