Scripture Verse

Glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. Luke 2:10

Introduction

portrait
Charles Gabriel (1856–1932)

Words & Mu­sic: Charles H. Ga­bri­el, in Songs of the Gold­en Shore, ed­it­ed by Da­ni­el Hodg­es (New York and Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Charles T. Dill­ing­ham and Lee & Shep­ard, 1879), page 4 (🔊 pdf nwc), alt. For Christ­mas Fes­ti­vals. The last line of the re­frain had the note: To be sung as an echo—in an ad­join­ing room.

Lyrics

Tidings, glad tid­ings un­to the world,
Tidings that an­gels loud­ly pro­claim,
Judea’s plains the mes­sage have heard:
Jesus is come to reign.

Refrain

Shepherds shout upon the dist­ant plain,
Angels send the ec­ho back again;
List to the chor­us, what does it say?
Jesus, Je­sus, Je­sus is born to­day.

Low in a man­ger, low in a stall,
See where the in­fant Sav­ior is born,
Maker and mon­arch, Sav­ior of all,
Know ye this Christ­mas morn!

Refrain

Let ev­ery heart beat glad and rejoice;
Let every soul be hap­py today.
Join in the chor­us, each, every voice,
Spread wide the cheer­ing ray.

Refrain