Scripture Verse

…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

Introduction

portrait
Joachim Neander
(1650–1680)

Words: Mat­thi­as Loy, in The Ev­an­ge­li­cal Lu­ther­an Hym­nal (Co­lum­bus, Ohio: Ohio Sy­no­di­cal Print­ing House, 1880), num­ber 33.

Music: Un­ser Herr­scher Jo­ach­im Ne­an­der, 1680 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Matthias Loy (1828–1915)

Lyrics

Listen to those hap­py voic­es
Of the ra­di­ant an­gel throng!
How the earth and sky re­joic­es!
All the air is full of song!
Hallelujah! bliss­ful morn!
Hallelujah! Christ is born!

Hear ye not the bright robed an­gel
Cheering shep­herds in the field—
Telling them the sweet ev­an­gel
That the woes of man are healed?
Hear ye not the an­gel say:
Fear ye not, be glad to­day?

Bid the fiend of hell de­fi­ance!
Conquered now is ev­ery foe!
In His name have full re­li­ance,
Who hath borne our sin and woe!
Hallelujah—death is braved!
Hallelujah—we are saved!

Should we not with songs of glad­ness
Glory give to God for aye?
Why be bowed with grief and sad­ness
When our sins are borne away?
Praise Him—with the an­gels vie—
Glory be to God on high!

Swell, ye saints, the bliss­ful chorus,
Roll it on­ward like a sea!
As the an­gels, ho­ver­ing o’er us,
Still re­peat the me­lo­dy.
Hear ye not the an­gel say:
Fear ye not, be glad to­day?

Gladly we re­peat the sto­ry—
Vie with an­gels while they sing:
Be to God im­mor­tal glo­ry,
Glory to the new-born King!

Hallelujah, bliss­ful morn!
Hallelujah, Christ is born!