Scripture Verse

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:2

Introduction

Words: Jean Mau­burn, 15th Cen­tu­ry (O Ter Fæ­cun­das, O Ter Ju­cun­das). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Ed­win C. Lea­ton-Blen­kin­sopp in Ly­ra Mes­si­a­ni­ca, ed­it­ed by Or­by Ship­ley (Lon­don: Long­man, Green, Long­man, Ro­berts & Green, 1864), pag­es 76–77.

Music: Eag­ley James Walch, 1860 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Mau­burn, Lea­ton-Blen­kin­sopp or Walch (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Thrice joy­ful night, with bless­ings dight,
Which saw the Sav­ior’s birth;
From Hea­ven high my God is nigh
To calm the woes of earth.

When Eve’s sad fall had, like a pall,
Enshrouded all our race,
As man He came, for man to claim
A light for earth’s dark face.

Th’etern­al Light, the God­head bright,
In swath­ing bands they fold;
The King of all in low­ly stall
The ox and ass be­hold.

Th’al­mig­hty Word whom hosts adored
A si­lent in­fant lay;
The sun grows old, its beam falls cold;
What mean these mar­vels? Say!

illustration
Nativity Scene
Perstorps Kyrka, Sweden