Under the beau­ti­ful Sy­ri­an sky,
Keeping their flocks while the night went by,
Shepherds were watch­ing; when on their sight,
Suddenly burst a glo­ri­ous light;
Lo, from the hea­vens, an an­gel fair
Came with a mes­sage to meet them there;
While they were tremb­ling with fear and dread,
These were the words that the an­gel said:

Refrain

Tidings, good tid­ings of joy I bring,
Christ is born, who is Lord and king;
This was the an­gel’s won­der­ful song;
Sing it again, and the notes pro­long.

This, said the an­gel, shall be the sign:
Laid in a man­ger, the Babe di­vine,
Ye in the ci­ty may soon be­hold—
City of Dav­id, the place fore­told.
Suddenly then with the an­gel bright,
Multitudes fair of the hosts of light,
Hasten their ju­bi­lant notes to raise,
Joining their chor­us of joy and praise.

Refrain

Into the ci­ty where Christ was born,
Hastened the shep­herds at ear­ly morn:
There, in the man­ger, they saw the Child,
Holy, and harm­less and un­de­filed.
Come! Let us seek Him who came to earth;
Let us re­joice in His low­ly birth;
Spread the good news of the Sav­ior’s love;
Join the glad song of the hosts above.

Refrain