CHRISTIANS, 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.
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
Το you and all the nations upon earth:
This day hath God fulfilled His promised word,
This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord."
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 hallelujahs rang:
God's highest glory was their anthem still,
Peace upon earth, and unto men good will.
Oh! may we keep and ponder in our mind
God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind;
Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
From the poor manger to the bitter cross;
Tread in His steps, assisted by His grace,
Till man's first heavenly state again takes place.
Then may we hope, the angelic hosts among,
To join, redeemed, a glad triumphant throng:
He that was born upon this joyful day
Around us all His glory shall display:
Saved by His love, incessant we shall sing
Eternal praise to heaven's almighty King.
JOHN BYROM, d. 1763 (varied).
BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.
Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odours of Edom, and offerings divine?
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation;
Vainly with gifts would His favour secure :
Richer by far is the heart's adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
EARTH has many a noble city;
Bethlehem, thou dost all excel:
Out of thee the Lord from heaven
Came to rule His Israel.
Fairer than the sun at morning
Was the star that told His birth,
To the world its God announcing
Seen in fleshly form on earth.
Eastern sages at His cradle
Make oblations rich and rare; See them give, in deep devotion,
Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh,
Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
Incense doth their God disclose,
Gold the King of kings proclaimeth,
Myrrh His sepulchre foreshows.
Jesu, whom the Gentiles worshipped
At Thy glad epiphany,
Unto Thee, with God the Father
And the Spirit, glory be.
Translation, varied from E. CASWALL, 1849, of the Latin of
M. AURELIUS PRUDENTIUS CLEMENS, d. circa 413.
WHEN, marshalled on the nightly plain,
The glittering hosts bestud the sky,
One star alone of all the train
Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.
Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks
From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks;
It is the Star of Bethlehem.
It is my guide, my life, my all,
It bids my dark forebodings cease,
And through the storm and danger's thrall,
It leads me to the port of peace.
Then safely moored, my perils o'er,
I'll sing, first in night's diadem,
For ever and for evermore,
The Star, the Star of Bethlehem.
THERE is a book, who runs may read,
Which heavenly truth imparts;
And all the lore its scholars need,
The works of God above, below,
Within us and around,
Are pages in that book to show
How God Himself is found.
The glorious sky, embracing all,
Is like the Maker's love,
Wherewith encompassed, great and small
In peace and order move.
The dew of heaven is like Thy grace;
It steals in silence down;
But, where it lights, the favoured place
By richest fruits is known.
One name above all glorious names,
With its ten thousand tongues
The everlasting sea proclaims,
Echoing angelic songs.
Thou, who hast given me eyes to see
And love this sight so fair,
Give me a heart to find out Thee,
And read Thee everywhere.
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