ST. EANSWYTH P. M.

J. W. Sidebotham

4

192

HARK! what music fills the sky!
Glory be to God on high,
Angels sing, and hosts reply,
Hallelujah!

2 To the Sons of men is given
God's dear Son, best gift of heaven,
Pledge of grace, and sin forgiven,

Hallelujah!

3 Righteousness and peace embrace, For the Prince of Peace doth place His right hand on Adam's race, Hallelujah!

4 Would ye see the wondrous sign, In a manger, Child divine,

Lies the heir of David's line,

Hallelujah!

5 Thee we own as Lord and King, And as tribute meet we bring Songs which angels cannot sing, Hallelujah!

6 Him we praise, Himself who gave To the manger and the grave

All to ransom and to save.

Hallelujah!

193

BLESSED night, when Bethlehem's plain Echoed with the joyful strain,

"Peace has come to earth again."
Hallelujah!

2 Blesséd hills, that heard the song
Of the glorious angel throng
Swelling all your slopes along;
Hallelujah!

3 Happy shepherds, on whose ear,
Fell the tidings glad and clear,
"God to man is drawing near."
Hallelujah!

4 Thus revealed to shepherd's eyes
Hidden from the great and wise,
Entering earth in lowly guise-
Hallelujah!

5 We adore Thee as our King,
And to Thee our song we sing;
Our best offering to Thee bring,
Hallelujah!

6 Mighty King of Righteousness,
King of Glory, King of Peace,
Never shall Thy kingdom cease!
Hallelujah!

O LITTLE town of Bethlehem!
How still we see thee lie,
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee to-night.

2 For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.

BRANDON P. M.

3 How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

4 O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray,
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell,
O, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel!

Phillips Brooks 1866

CAWOOD 8s, 75. D.

G. F.-C. Le Jeune

196

HARK! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly sounding through the skies?
Lo! the angelic host rejoices,

Heavenly hallelujahs rise;
Listen to the wondrous story

Which they chant in hymns of joy: "Glory in the highest, glory,

Glory be to God Most High.

2"Peace on earth, good-will from heaven, Reaching far as man is found; Souls redeemed and sins forgiven;

Loud our golden harps shall sound. Christ is born, the great Anointed: Heaven and earth His praises sing: O receive whom God appointed

For your Prophet, Priest, and King.

3 "Hasten, mortals, to adore Him; Learn His Name, and taste His joy: Till in Heaven ye sing before Him,

'Glory be to God Most High!'' Let us learn the wondrous story

Of our great Redeemer's birth; Spread the brightness of His glory Till it cover all the earth.

John Cawood 1819

197

On this night, all nights excelling,

God's high praises sounded forth, While the angels' songs were telling Of the Lord's mysterious birth. Through the darkness, strangely splendid, Flashed the light on shepherds' eyes; As their lowly flocks they tended, Came new tidings from the skies.

2 On this day then through creation Let the glorious hymn ring out; Let men hail the great salvation, "God with us," with song and shout. See the powers of hell are broken,

Fierce and tyrannous and wild,
And on earth glad words are spoken,
Heralding the new-born Child.

3 Christ, who rules the earth and heaven,
By His truth's controlling power,
Who a grace to men hath given
That transforms them hour by hour.
Grant to us of His great pity
Pardon for our guilt and sin;
Grant us in the heavenly city
Peace and rest and life to win.

Edward Hayes Plumptre 1866

STUTTGARD 8s, 75.

J. G. C. Störl

198

BETHLEHEM, of noblest cities,

None can once with thee compare; Thou alone the Lord from Heaven Didst for us Incarnate bear.

2 Fairer than the sun at morning Was the star that told His birth; To the lands their God announcing, Hid beneath a form of earth.

3 By its lambent beauty guided,

See, the Eastern kings appear; See them bend, their gifts to offer, Gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh. 4 Offerings of mystic meaning: Incense doth the God disclose; Gold a royal child proclaimeth; Myrrh a future tomb foreshows. 5 Holy Jesus, in Thy brightness To the Gentile world displayed!

COME, Thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free: From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.

2 Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

3 Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child, and yet a King, Born to reign in us for ever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. 4 By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Charles Wesley 1744

J. Stainer

200

SHEPHERDS! hail the wondrous stranger,
Now to Bethlehem speed your way;
Lo! in yonder humble manger,
Christ, the Lord, is born to-day.
2 Bright the star of your salvation,
Pointing to His rude abode!
Rapturous news for every nation:
Mortals! now behold your God!

3 Glad, we trace the amazing story Angels leave their bliss to tell; Theme sublime, replete with glory,Sinners saved from death and hell. 4 Love eternal moved the Saviour, Thus to lay His radiance by; Blessings on the Lamb for ever! Glory be to God on high!

Thomas Hastings 1834 (?)