Once in Royal David’s City

 

Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed.

Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed.

Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

 

He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all.

And his shelter was a stable and his cradle was a stall.

With the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour Holy

 

And through all his wondrous childhood He would honour and obey.

Love and watch that lowly Maiden in whose gentle arms he lay.

Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.

 

For He is our childhood's pattern day by day like us he grew.

He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew.

And he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness.

 

And our eyes at last shall see him through his own redeeming love.

For that child, so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above:

And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

 

Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by

We shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high:

Where like stars, his children crowned all in white shall wait around.

 

 

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

 

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 tonight.

 

O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love.

 

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n;

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n,.

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

 

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!   

 

 

We Three Kings

 

We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar

Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star:

 

O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.   

 

Melchior

Born a king on Bethlehem plain, gold I bring, to crown him again-

King for ever, ceasing never, over us all to reign:

 

O star of wonder, etc.

 

Caspar

Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a deity nigh:

Prayer and praising, all men raising, worship him God most high:

 

O star of wonder, etc.

 

Balthazar

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb:

 

O star of wonder, etc.

 

Glorious now, behold him arise, King, and God, and sacrifice!

Heav’n sings alleluya, alleluya the earth replies:

 

O star of wonder, etc.

 

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While Shepherds Watched

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While shepherds watched their flocks by night,

all seated on the ground,

the angel of the Lord came down,

and glory shone around.

 

 "Fear not," said he for mighty dread

had seized their troubled mind

"Glad tidings of great joy I bring

to you and all mankind.

 

 "To you, in David's town, this day

is born of David's line

a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;

and this shall be the sign:

 

"The heavenly Babe you there shall find

to human view displayed,

all simply wrapped in swaddling bands

and in a manger laid."

 

Thus Spake the seraph; and forthwith

appeared a shining throng

of angels praising God, who thus

addressed their joyful song:

 

 "All glory be to God on high,

and to the earth be peace;

Goodwill from heav’n to men begin,

Begin and never cease."

 

 

Silent night

 

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright;
round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quail at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light;
radiant beams thy holy face, with the dawn of saving grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

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Hark! the herald angels sing

 

Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the new-born King.

 Peace on earth and mercy mild,

 God and sinners reconciled!”

 Joyful, all ye nations, rise;

 Join the triumph of the skies;

 With th'angelic hosts proclaim,

“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

 

Refrain:

 Hark, the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King!”

 

 Christ by highest heav'n adored,

 Christ, the everlasting Lord,

 Late in time behold Him come,

 Off-spring of the virgin's womb.

 Veiled in flesh the God-head see;

 Hail the incarnate Deity,

 Pleased as man with man to dwell,

 Jesus, our Emmanuel. [Refrain]

 

 

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

 Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

 Light and life to all He brings,

 Ris’n with healing in His wings.

 Mild He lays His glory by,

 Born that we no more may die,

 Born to raise the sons of earth,

 Born to give them second birth. [Refrain]

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Ding dong merrily on high

 

Ding dong merrily on high,
In heav'n the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv'n with angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

E'en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And "Io, io, io!"
By priest and people sungen.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers;
May you beautifully rime
Your evetime song, ye singers.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

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