Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King!

2 Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the Incarnate Deity,

Pleased as Man with man to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel!

Hark! the herald angels sing, etc.

3 Mild he lays his glory by,

Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Risen with healing in his wings,
Light and life to all he brings,
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hark! the herald angels sing, etc. Amen.

Charles Wesley, 1739, alt.

74

F the Father's love begotten,
Ere the worlds began to be,

OF

He is Alpha and Omega,

He the source, the ending he,

P.M.

Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore!

2 O that Birth for ever blessed,
When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Saviour of our race;
And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,
First revealed his sacred face,
Evermore and evermore!

3 O ye heights of heaven adore him;
Angel hosts, his praises sing;
Powers, Dominions, bow before him,
And extol our God and King;
Let no tongue on earth be silent.
Every voice in concert ring,
Evermore and evermore!

4 Thee let old men, thee let young men,
Thee let boys in chorus sing;
Matrons, virgins, little maidens,
With glad voices answering:
Let their guileless songs re-echo,
And the heart its music bring,
Evermore and evermore!

5 Christ, to thee with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving,
And unwearied praises be:

Honour, glory, and dominion,

And eternal victory,

Evermore and evermore!

Amen.

Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348-413; Tr. John Mason

Neale, 1854, and Henry W. Baker, 1859

75

P.M.

SHO

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

1 Sion, 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.

Shout the glad tidings, etc.

2 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.

Shout the glad tidings, etc.

3 Mortals, your homage be gratefully bringing,

And sweet let the gladsome hosanna arise:
Ye angels, the full alleluia be singing;
One chorus resound through the earth
and the skies.

Shout the glad tidings, etc.

76

C

William A. Mühlenberg, 1826

Six 10's

HRISTIANS, awake, salute the happy
morn,
Whereon the Saviour of the world was born;
Rise to adore the mystery of love,

Which hosts of angels chanted from above:

With them the joyful tidings first begun Of God incarnate and the Virgin's Son.

2 Then to the watchful shepherds it was told, Who heard the angelic herald's voice: "Behold,

I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth To you and all the nations upon earth: This day hath God fulfilled his promised word,

This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord."

3 He spake, and straightway the celestial choir In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire; The praises of redeeming love they sang, And heaven's whole orb with alleluias rang; God's highest glory was their anthem still, Peace upon earth, and unto men good will.

4 To Bethlehem straight the happy shepherds ran,

To see the wonder God had wrought for

man;

And found, with Joseph and the blessèd Maid,

Her Son, the Saviour, in a manger laid;

Amazed, the wondrous story they proclaim, The earliest heralds of the Saviour's name.

5 Let us, like these good shepherds, then employ

Our grateful voices to proclaim the joy; Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss,

From his poor manger to his bitter cross; Treading his steps, assisted by his grace, Till man's first heavenly state again takes place.

6 Then may we hope, the angelic thrones

among,

To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song; He, that was born upon this joyful day, Around us all his glory shall display; Saved by his love, incessant we shall sing Of angels and of angel-men the King.

John Byrom, 1750

77

S

Four 7's, with refrain

ING, O sing, this blessèd morn,
Unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given,

God himself comes down from heaven;
Sing, O sing, this blessed morn,

Jesus Christ to-day is born.

2 God of God, and Light of Light,
Comes with mercies infinite,
Joining in a wondrous plan
Heaven to earth and God to man.
Sing, O sing, etc.

3 God with us, Emmanuel,
Deigns for ever now to dwell;
He on Adam's fallen race
Sheds the fullness of his grace.
Sing, O sing, etc.

4 God comes down that man may rise,
Lifted by him to the skies;

Christ is Son of man that we
Sons of God in him may be.
Sing, O sing, etc.