Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

Words: From Christ­mas Car­ols, An­cient and Mo­dern, by Ri­chard San­dys (Lon­don: Ri­chard Beck­ley, 1833), pag­es 148–49.

Music: Ar­ling­ton Tho­mas A. Arne, 1762. Ar­ranged by Ralph Har­ris­on, 1784 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Thomas Arne (1710–1778)

Lyrics

Hail! ev­er hail! aus­pi­cious morn,
The bright­est since our fall:
Mortals, ex­ult! the Sav­ior’s born,
O crown him Lord of all!

Down from ce­les­ti­al climes of day
He hastes to tread our ball,
Glory il­lum­ines all the way,
O crown Him Lord of all!

Hark! loud ho­san­nahs from the song
The melt­ing airs en­thrall,
A Sav­ior an­gels waft along,
And shout Him Lord of all.

Wrapped in their fold­ed vests of light
They seek the sor­did stall,
Gaze with emo­tions of de­light,
And own Him Lord of all.

Shepherds, to you a her­ald flies,
Obey the ear­ly call;
Immanuel in a man­ger lies,
Go crown Him Lord of all.

He comes, He comes, our world to bless,
To ran­som ev­ery soul
From shades of end­less wretch­ed­ness:
O crown Him Lord of all!

The scep­ter, robe and throne pre­pare,
Attend, ye great and small,
With ac­cla­ma­tions rend the air,
And crown Him Lord of all.