Scripture Verse

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

Introduction

portrait
Joy F. Patterson (1931–)

Words: Joy F. Pat­ter­son, 1994.

Music: W Zlo­bie Le­zy Pol­ish carol. Ar­ranged by Ed­ith M. Reed (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Reed (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Come, you peo­ple of the pro­mise,
Sing for joy! The time is near!
God, the co­ve­nant ful­fill­ing,
Soon among us will ap­pear!
As pro­claimed in pro­phet’s sto­ry,
Christ will come in hum­ble glo­ry—
God with us, Em­ma­nu­el!

Long in dark­ness we have waited,
Through the sha­dows made our way,
Gloom and sor­row our com­pan­ions
As we longed for signs of day—
Great our need for hope and heal­ing,
Some great light our God re­veal­ing,
God with us, Em­ma­nu­el!

God’s own Son shall dwell among us;
Shadows van­ish in that light.
Earth shall know his peace and jus­tice:
Christ who comes shall rule in might.
Let our joy dis­pel all sad­ness:
He who comes turns tears to glad­ness—
God with us, Em­ma­nu­el!