Scripture Verse

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13–14

Introduction

Words: God­frey Thring, Hymns and Sac­red Lyr­ics (Lon­don: Hen­ry S. King, 1874), pages 35–36.

Music: Oc­ta­vi­us Jo­seph E. Sweet­ser, 1865 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

illustration
Annunciation to the Shepherds
Nicolaes Berchem,1649

Hark! hear ye not the an­gel song
The hills of Beth­le­hem among?
To you, this day, th’in­car­nate Word,
To you, the ev­er­last­ing Lord.

To you, on earth, this hap­py morn,
To you the Prince of Peace is born,
Whilst Heav’n re-ech­oes yet again
Peace—peace on earth, good will to men.

Thus an­gels sang, and thus sing we,
To God on high all gl­ory be,
Let Him on earth His peace be­stow,
And un­to men His fa­vor show.

For dead in­deed must be the heart,
Thrice dead, which will not bear a part,
And with the an­gel choir pro­claim,
A Sav­ior born in Beth­le­hem.

Then men and maid­ens, young and old,
Come join the shep­herds at the fold,
And sing­ing list, and list­en­ing sing
A car­ol to our new­born king.