Christmas Hymns



From Heaven high I come to you
Go tell it on the mountain
Oh, Come All Ye Faithful
Songs of praise the angels sang
Virgin-born, we bow before you
What Child is this
A Child is born in Bethlehem
Joy To The Word
Hark! The herald angels sing
Angels we have heard on high

From Heaven high I come to you

From Heaven high I come to you,
To bring you tidings good and new.
Good tidings of great joy I bring,
Thereof will I both say and sing

For you a little child is born
Of God's own chosen maid, this morn:
A fair and tender baby bright,
To be your joy and your delight.

Lo, he is Christ, the Lord indeed,
Our God, to guide you in your need:
And he will be your Saviour, strong
To cleanse you from all sin and wrong.


Go, tell it on the mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.

Refrain

The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth.

Refrain

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn.

Refrain


O, Come All Ye Faithful

Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him Born the king of angels:

Refrain:

Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest glory:

Refrain

Savior, we greet thee, Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given!
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing:

Refrain

Melody: Adeste Fidelis; Music: J.F. Wade, 1751; Text: Latin, 18th century; Translator: Frederick Oakeley, 1841 et al.


Songs of praise the angels sang

Songs of praise the angels sang,
heaven with alleluias rang,
when creation was begun,
when God spoke and it was done.

Songs of praise awoke the morn
when the Prince of Peace was born;
songs of praise arose when he
captive led captivity.

Heaven and earth must pass away;
songs of praise shall crown that day;
God will make new heavens and earth;
songs of praise shall hail their birth.

And will man alone be dumb
till that glorious kingdom come?
No; the Church delights to raise
psalms and hymns and songs of praise.

Saints below, with heart and voice,
still in songs of praise rejoice,
learning here, by faith and love,
songs of praise to sing above.

Borne upon their latest breath,
songs of praise shall conquer death;
then, amidst eternal joy,
songs of praise their powers employ.
Melody: Culbach; Music: John Wilson; Text: James Montgomery, 1854


Virgin-born, we bow before you

Virgin-born, we bow before you:
Blessed was the womb that bore you;
Mary, Mother meek and mild,
Blessed was she in her Child.
Blessed was the breast that fed you;
Blessed was the hand that led you;
Blessed was the other's eye
Watching o'er your infancy.

Blessed she by all creation,
Who brought forth the world's salvation.
Blessed they who ever blest,
Love you most and serve you best.
Virgin-born, we bow before you;
Blessed was the womb that bore you;
Mary, Mother meek and mild,
Blessed was she in her Child.
Melody: Mon Dieu, Prete Moi L'Orielle 88-77D (Genevan Psalm 86); Music: German Psalter, 1543; Text: R. Heber, 1783-1826, alt.


What Child is this

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Melody: Greensleeves 87.87.68.67; Text: William Chatterton Dix, 1837-1898


A Child is born in Bethlehem

A Child is born in Bethlehem, alleluia;
O come, rejoice Jerusalem, alleluia, alleluia.

Refrain:
Let grateful hearts now sing,
A song of joy and holy praise
To Christ the new-born King.

Though found within a manger poor, alleluia,
His Kingdom shall for e'er endure, alleluia, alleluia.

Refrain

As brother in the flesh he came, alleluia,
Our King whose name we now proclaim, alleluia, alleluia.

Refrain

Melody: Gregorian, Mode I; Music: Traditional, Gregorian; Text: Puer Natus in Bethlehem; Translator: J.W. Hewitt, 1959, alt.



Joy To The World

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders, of His love.
Text: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid, 1719. Music: An­ti­och, ar­ranged by Low­ell Ma­son, 1836.


Hark! The herald angels sing

Hark! The herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn 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 host 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,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heav’nly 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 man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain

Text: Charles Wes­ley, 1739. Music: Men­dels­sohn, Fe­lix Men­dels­sohn, 1840


Angels we have heard on high

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

Text: Tra­di­tion­al French car­ol; translated by James Chad­wick, 1862. Music: Gloria (Barnes), French car­ol mel­o­dy




The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 
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