Scripture Verse

A multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13–14

Introduction

Words: Will­iam Aus­tin (?–1633). Ap­peared in Car­ols Old and Car­ols New, by Charles L. Hutch­ins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 2. The text is based on Aus­tin’s All This Night Shrill Chaun­te­cleere Daye’s Pro­claim­ing Trum­pet­er.

Music: Ar­thur S. Sul­li­van (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)

Lyrics

illustration
Song of the Angels
William Bouguereau, 1881

All this night bright an­gels sing,
Never was such car­ol­ing,
Hark! a voice which loud­ly cries,
Mortals, mor­tals, wake and rise.
Lo! to glad­ness turns your sad­ness:
From the earth is ris’n a Son,
Shines all night tho’ day be done.

Wake, O earth, wake ev­ery thing,
Wake and hear the joy I bring:
Wake and joy; for all this night,
Heav’n and ev­ery twink­ling light,
All amaz­ing, still stand gaz­ing,
Angels, pow’rs and all that be,
Wake, and joy this Son to see.

Hail! O Son, O bless­èd Light,
Sent in­to this world by night;
Let Thy rays and heav’n­ly pow’rs,
Shine in these dark souls of ours.
For most du­ly, Thou art tru­ly
God and Man, we do con­fess:
Hail, O Sun of Right­eous­ness!