Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

portrait
Thomas Harris (1823–1906)

Words: Tho­mas L. Har­ris, Hymns of Spir­it­ual De­vo­tion (New York: New Church Pub­lish­ing As­so­cia­tion, 1857), num­ber 33.

Music: Ma­no­ah ar­ranged from Giao­chi­no A. Ros­si­ni in Col­lect­ion of Church Mu­sic, by Hen­ry W. Great­or­ex, 1851 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Gioachino A. Rossini
(1792–1868)

Lyrics

Upon Ju­dea’s mid­night plains
The shep­herds watched of old;
When lo! from Hea­ven, se­raph­ic strains
Of joy and tri­umph rolled.

Now dawns the bliss­ful ad­vent morn,
With lov­ing voice they sing.
Today, to all man­kind, is born
A Sav­ior and a king.

Still, still, ’tis ours the hymn to hear
That swept o’er Is­ra­el’s plain.
Loud swells the an­them—sphere to sphere
In joy re­peats the strain.

Where’er Thy Spir­it, Lord, is shrined,
The in­ward Christ is born;
The an­gel strains in heart and mind
Proclaim the ad­vent morn.