Seasonal Hymns: Christmas 215-224

215

In the bleak midwinter – C Rossetti

In the bleak midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter,
long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him
nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away
when he comes to reign:
in the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
the Lord God incarnate,
Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels
may have gathered there
cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air;
but his mother only,
in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved
with a kiss.

What can I give him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man,
I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him
give my heart.

216

Joseph dearest, Joseph mine – trad carol / N Talbot trans

Joseph dearest, Joseph mine,
help me cradle the child divine;
God reward thee and all that’s thine
in paradise, so prays the mother Mary.

Refrain:
He came among us at Christmas-time,
at Christmastide, in Bethlehem;
let us bring him from far and wide
Love’s diadem: Jesus, Jesus,
lo, he comes, and loves, and saves, and frees us!

Gladly, dear one, lady mine,
help I cradle this child of thine;
God’s own light on us both shall shine
in paradise, as prays the mother Mary. [Refrain]

All shall come and bow the knee;
wise and happy their souls shall be,
loving such a divinity,
as all may see in Jesus, Son of Mary. [Refrain]

217

Joy to the World – I Watts

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 us our 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, wonders of his love.

218

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – trad English Carol

God rest you merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
Was born upon this day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.

Refrain:
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy!

In Bethlehem in Jewry
This blessed Babe was born,
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn;
The which his mother Mary
Nothing did take in scorn. Refrain

From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name. Refrain

'Fear not,' then said the angel,
'Let nothing you affright;
This day is born a Saviour
Of virtue, power and might,
So frequently to vanquish all
The friends of Satan quite.' Refrain

The shepherds at these tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway
This blessed Babe to find. Refrain

But when to Bethlehem they came,
Whereat this Infant lay,
They found him in a manger
Where oxen fed on hay;
His mother Mary, kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray. Refrain

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace.
The holy tide of Christmas
All others doth efface. Refrain

219

See Amid the Winter's Snow (Hymn for Christmas Day) – E Caswall

See amid the winter's snow,
born for us on earth below,
see, the gentle Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

Refrain:
Hail that ever blessèd morn,
hail redemption's happy dawn,
sing through all Jerusalem:
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Lo, within a manger lies
he who built the starry skies;
he who, thronèd in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim. Refrain

Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today.
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep? Refrain

"As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing 'Peace on earth'
told us of the Savior's birth." Refrain

Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was thine,
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this. Refrain

Teach, O teach us, holy Child,
by thy face so meek and mild,
teach us to resemble thee,
in thy sweet humility. Refrain

220

O Holy Night – P Cappeau / J Dwight trans

O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope--the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees!
O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light! of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the Wise Men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend.
He knows our need - to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! 

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!

221

As with Gladness Men of Old – W Dix

As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore your splendor see.

As with joyful steps they sped
to that lowly manger bed,
there to bend the knee before
Christ, whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek your mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
at that manger plain and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to you, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way,
and when mortal things are past,
bring our ransomed lives at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds your glory hide.

In that glorious city bright
none shall need created light;
you its light, its joy, its crown,
you its sun which goes not down;
there forever may we sing
alleluias to our King!

222

Coventry Carol – trad English carol

Refrain:
Lully, lulla,
thou little tiny child,
by by, lully lullay.

O sisters too,
how may we do
for to preserve this day
this poor youngling,
for whom we do sing
by by, lully lullay?

Herod the king,
in his raging,
charged he hath this day
his men of might,
in his own sight,
all young children to slay.

That woe is me,
poor child for thee!
and ever morn and day,
for thy parting
neither say nor sing
by by, lully lullay! [Refrain]

223

Glory be to God on High – C Wesley

Glory be to God on high,
God whose glory fills the sky;
Peace on earth to man forgiv’n,
Man, the well beloved of heav’n.
Sov’reign Father, Heav’nly King!
Thee we now presume to sing
Glad Thine attributes confess,
Glorious all, and numberless.

Hail, by all Thy works adored!
Hail, the everlasting Lord!
Thee with thankful hearts we prove,—
God of pow’r, and God of love!
Christ our Lord and God we own,—
Christ, the Father’s only Son,
Lamb of God for sinners slain,
Saviour of offending man.

Jesus! in Thy Name we pray,
Take, oh, take our sins away!
Pow’rful Advocate with God!
Justify us with Thy blood.
Hear, for Thou, O Christ! alone,
Art with Thy great Father One;
One the Holy Ghost with Thee,—
One supreme eternal Three.

224

The Holly and the Ivy – trad English carol

The Holly and the Ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The Holly bears the crown.

Refrain
O the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the quire,
Sweet singing in the quire.

The Holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily-flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our sweet Savior. [Refrain]

The Holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good. [Refrain]

The Holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn. [Refrain]

The Holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all. [Refrain]

The Holly and the Ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The Holly bears the crown. [Refrain]