Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

portrait
William Jackson (1730–1803)

Words: G. Geth­ing, in Christ­mas Min­strel­sy, ed­it­ed by Jo­seph Will­iams & Hen­ry J. Gaunt­lett (Lon­don & Man­ches­ter, Eng­land: No­vel­lo & Brem­ner, 1864), num­ber 93.

Music: El Ca­jon, old air, ar­ranged by Will­iam Jack­son (1730–1803) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Geth­ing’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Let heart and voice unite to sing,
Christ is born.
To praise the ev­er­last­ing King,
Christ is born.
The Sun of right­eous­ness ap­pears,
To shine up­on this vale of tears,
To chase our gloom, dis­pel our fears,
Christ is born.

The Son of God des­cends to earth,
Christ is born.
Angels from Heav’n pro­claim His birth,
Christ is born.
Glory to God, good­will to men,
And peace through­out the earth pro­claim,
Jesus ap­pears in Beth­le­hem,
Christ is born.

To ma­ni­fest the love of God,
Christ is born.
And shed it in our hearts abroad,
Christ is born.
To pour in­struct­ion on the mind,
To heal the sick and lead the blind,
The wan­der­ing to seek and find,
Christ is born.

To ov­er­throw the pow­ers of hell,
Christ is born.
And de­mons from the heart ex­pel,
Christ is born.
To bear our curse up­on the tree,
To take away ini­qui­ty,
To set the cap­tive spi­rit free,
Christ is born.

To bring on earth a bright­er day,
Christ is born.
To ope a new and liv­ing way,
Christ is born.
That sin­ners may be brought to God,
And trav­el in the nar­row road,
And find in Heav’n their safe abode,
Christ is born.