As I was go­ing to Beth­le­hem-town,
Upon the earth I cast me down
All un­der­neath a lit­tle tree
That whis­pered in this way to me:
Oh, I shall stand on Cal­va­ry
And bear what bur­den sav­eth thee:
Oh, I shall stand on Cal­va­ry
And bear what bur­den sav­eth thee!

As up I fared to Beth­le­hem-town,
I met a shep­herd com­ing down,
And thus he said: A won­drous sight
Hath spread be­fore mine eyes this night—
An an­gel host most fair to see,
That sung full sweet­ly of a tree
That shall up­lift on Cal­va­ry
What bur­den sav­eth you and me!

And as I got to Beth­le­hem-town,
Lo! wise men came that bore a crown.
Is there, cried I, in Beth­le­hem
A king shall wear this dia­dem?
Most sure, they said, and it is He
That shall be lift­ed on the tree
And free­ly shed on Cal­va­ry
What blood re­deem­eth us and thee!

Unto a child in Beth­le­hem-town
The wise men came and brought the crown;
And while the In­fant smil­ing slept,
Upon their knees they fell and wept;
But, with her babe up­on her knee,
Naught recked that mo­ther of the tree,
That should up­lift on Cal­va­ry
What bur­den sav­eth all and me.

Again I walk in Beth­le­hem-town
And think on Him that wears the crown.
I may not kiss His feet again,
Nor wor­ship Him as did I then;
My king hath died up­on the tree,
And hath out­poured on Cal­va­ry
What blood re­deem­eth you and me:
Outpoured for us on Cal­va­ry.