Scripture Verse

I bring you good tidings of great joy. Luke 2:10

Introduction

portrait
Charles Avison
1709–1770

Words: Will­iam A. Mühl­en­berg, 1826. The hymn was writ­ten at the spe­cial re­quest of Bi­shop Ho­bart, and first ap­peared in Hymns of the Pro­test­ant Epis­co­pal Church, 1826.

Music: Avi­son, adapt­ed from Charles Avi­son (1709–1770) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William A. Mühlenberg
1796–1877

Lyrics

Refrain

Shout the glad tid­ings, ex­ult­ing­ly sing,
Jerusalem tri­umphs, Mes­si­ah is King!

Zion, the mar­vel­ous sto­ry be tell­ing,
The Son of the High­est, how low­ly His birth!
The bright­est arch­an­gel in glo­ry ex­cel­ling,
He stoops to re­deem thee, He reigns up­on earth.

Refrain

Tell how He com­eth; from na­tion to na­tion
The heart cheer­ing news let the earth echo round;
How free to the faith­ful He of­fers sal­va­tion,
His peo­ple with joy ev­er­last­ing are crowned.

Refrain

Mortals, your hom­age be grate­ful­ly bring­ing,
And sweet let the glad­some ho­san­nas arise;
Ye an­gels, the full al­l­elu­ias be sing­ing;
One cho­rus re­sound through the earth and the skies.

Refrain

Messiah is King!