Scripture Verse

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10–11

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Tra­di­tion­al Eng­lish (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

God rest ye mer­ry, gen­tle­men,
Let no­thing you dis­may,
Remember Christ our Sav­ior
Was born on Christ­mas Day;
To save us all from Sa­tan’s power
When we were gone as­tray.

Refrain

O tid­ings of com­fort and joy,
Comfort and joy;
O tid­ings of com­fort and joy.

In Beth­le­hem, in Is­ra­el,
This bless­èd Babe was born,
And laid with­in a man­ger
Upon this bless­èd morn;
The which His mo­ther Ma­ry
Did no­thing take in scorn.

Refrain

From God our heav’n­ly Fa­ther
A bless­èd an­gel came;
And un­to ce­rtain shep­herds
Brought tid­ings of the same;
How that in Beth­le­hem was born
The Son of God by name.

Refrain

Fear not, then, said the an­gel,
Let nothing you af­fright
This day is born a Sav­ior
Of a pure vir­gin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Sat­an’s pow­er and might.

Refrain

The shep­herds at those tidings
Rejoicèd much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feed­ing
In tem­pest, storm and wind,
And went to Beth­l’em straight­away
This bless­èd Babe to find.

Refrain

But when to Beth­le­hem they came
Where our dear Sav­ior lay,
They found Him in a man­ger
Where ox­en feed on hay;
His mo­ther Mary kneel­ing
Unto the Lord did pray.

Refrain

Now to the Lord sing prais­es
All you with­in this place,
And with true love and bro­ther­hood
Each ot­her now em­brace;
This ho­ly tide of Christ­mas
All oth­ers doth de­face.

Refrain

God bless the rul­er of this house,
And send him long to reign,
And ma­ny a mer­ry Christ­mas
May live to see again;
Among your friends and kin­dred
That live both far and near—

That God send you a hap­py new year,
Happy new year,
And God send you a hap­py new year.

illustration
Christmas Carols New and Old, 1871