Scripture Verse

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:2

Introduction

portrait
John Brownlie (1857–1925)

Words: Un­known au­thor (Ὁ οὐ­ρα­νὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ σή­με­ρον προ­φη­τι­κῶς εὐφραιν­έσθω­σαν). Trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John Brown­lie, Hymns of the Greek Church (Ed­in­burgh, Scot­land & Lon­don: Oli­phant, An­der­son & Fer­ri­er, 1900), page 32.

Music: Vig­go Viggo Kalh­au­ge (1840–1905) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Viggo Kalhauge
(1840–1905)

Lyrics

In the bliss of old pre­dict­ed,
Heav’n and earth to-day rejoice;
Men and an­gels, one in spir­it,
Shout aloud in glee­ful voice;
For, to those in dark­ness drear,
God in hu­man flesh is near.

Cave and man­ger show the mys­te­ry;
Shepherds tell the won­drous tale;
Bearing gifts to lay be­fore Him
From the east the Ma­gi hail;
Taught by an­gel words to sing,
We un­wor­thy prais­es bring.

Glory be to God eter­nal!
Peace on earth its reign be­gin!
For the one De­sire of na­tions
Comes to save us from our sin;
Freedom He will now be­stow
From the bond­age of the foe.