Scripture Verse

Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

Introduction

portrait
Thomas T. Noble (1867–1953)

Words: Charles W. Stubbs (1845–1912). Ap­peared in Ca­rols Old and Ca­rols New, ed­it­ed by Charles L. Hut­chins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 310.

Music: T. Ter­ti­us No­ble (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles W. Stubbs (1845–1912)

Lyrics

Fair the night in Beth­l’hem land,
Sweet the songs of an­gel band.
Fall, snow, so light­ly!
Jesu, born of Ma­ry maid,
In an ox­en stall was laid,
O star, shine bright­ly!

Rustic shep­herds in a row
Knelt be­side the cra­dle low.
Fall, snow, so light­ly!
Told of all the ma­gic song
They had heard their sheep among,
O star, shine bright­ly!

Three men rode from out the wild,
Came to greet the Christ­mas Child.
Fall, snow, so light­ly!
Caspar, Mel­chi­or, Bal­tha­zar,
Magian pil­grims from afar.
O star, shine bright­ly!

Spice and myrrh and gold of kings,
Offerings rare of far-brought things.
Fall, snow, so light­ly!
Gold for joy and myrrh for pain,
Frankincense for al­tar’s fane
O star, shine bright­ly!

Nowell, Now­ell, sing we then,
Jesu saves the souls of men.
Fall, snow, so light­ly!
So joy comes from God above
To all those who Christ­mas love.
O star, shine bright­ly!