Scripture Verse

Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

Introduction

Words: Ger­man, 17th Cen­tu­ry. Tran­slat­ed to Eng­lish by Fred­er­ick W. Herz­ber­ger in the Christ­mas Song Book, com­piled by Ad­olf T. Han­ser (Buf­fa­lo, New York: Dahl­ke Pub­lish­ing, 1918), num­ber 35.

Music: Zu Beth­le­hem ge­bor­en, Köln Psal­ter, 1638 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

illustration

In Beth­le­hem, the low­ly,
A Child to us is born,
The Son of God in­car­nate,
This bless­èd Christ­mas morn,
Surely, sure­ly,
And I will be His own.

And while in awe I pon­der
Thy mys­te­ry di­vine,
My heart is lost in won­der
That Christ is al­so mine
Surely, sure­ly,
And Christ is al­so mine.

O dear­est Child, how can I
Repay Thy won­drous love
In which Thou com’st to save me
From Thy great throne ab­ove?
Surely, sure­ly,
From Thy great throne ab­ove.

My life, my all, I bring Thee;
Oh, grant me, I im­plore,
Thy grace to serve and love Thee
Now and for­ev­er­more.
Surely, sure­ly,
Now and for­ev­er­more.