Scripture Verse

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14

Introduction

Words: F. E. Pet­tin­gell, 1890. Ap­peared in Fair as the Morn­ing, ed­it­ed by John Kur­zen­kna­be & Will­iam W. Bent­ley (Har­ris­burg, Penn­syl­van­ia: J. H. Kur­zen­kna­be & Sons, 1891), num­ber 96.

Music: John H. Kur­zen­kna­be (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Pet­tin­gell’s full name, where to get a good pho­to of her (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
John H. Kurzenknabe (1840–1927)

Lyrics

On the wilds of Ju­dah
Rests the calm of night;
Through its east­ern hea­vens
Glows a won­drous light.
In its low­ly man­ger
Doth the mo­ther bide,
With the in­fant Je­sus
Nestling by her side.

Refrain

Glad an­gel­ic choirs
Sing in mid­night sky;
Glory in the high­est
Be to God on high!

’Neath the won­drous ha­lo
Eastern Ma­gi trend,
Till at length ex­ult­ant
Round His form they bend.
Choicest gifts they ren­der,
Highest hon­ors pay,
To the in­fant Je­sus
On His na­tal day.

Refrain

See the na­tions bend­ing
By His man­ger now;
See the wise, the migh­ty,
To His scep­ter bow.
Hear the an­gel chorus
Waken earth and sky;
Glory in the high­est
Be to God on high.

Refrain