Scripture Verse

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns for the Na­ti­vi­ty of Our Lord (Lon­don: Will­iam Stra­han, 1745), num­ber 3.

Music: Kirk El­la, H. Er­nest Ni­chol (1862–1926) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ni­chol (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

Angels speak, let man give ear,
Sent from high, they are nigh,
And for­bid our fear.

News they bring us of sal­va­tion,
Sounds of joy to em­ploy
Every tongue and na­tion.

Welcome tid­ings! To re­trieve us
From our fall, born for all,
Christ is born to save us.

Born His crea­tures to re­store,
Abject earth sees His birth,
Whom the hea­vens do adore.

Wrapped in swaths th’im­mor­tal Stran­ger
Man with men we have seen,
Lying in a man­ger.

All to God’s free grace is ow­ing;
We are His wit­ness­es,
Poor and no­thing know­ing.

Simple shep­herds us He rais­es,
Bids us sing Christ the King,
And show forth His prais­es.

We have seen the King of Glo­ry,
We pr­oclaim Christ His name,
And re­cord His sto­ry.

Sing we with the host of Hea­ven,
Reconciled by a child
Who to us is giv­en.

Glory be to God the giv­er,
Peace and love from above
Reign on earth for ev­er.