Long did both kings and pro­phets wait
To see the Lord of glo­ry great
Appear, to an­swer that great end,
To prove the fall­en sin­ner’s friend.

Of Him the pro­phets long fore­told,
The fa­thers wished Him to be­hold;
Him all the na­tions did de­sire
And an­gels wished Him to ad­mire.

Their pro­phe­cies are now ful­filled;
The glo­ri­ous mys­te­ry re­vealed:
The Child is born, the Son is giv’n,
The Prince of life is come from Heav’n.

His name is Je­sus Christ the Lord,
The great and ev­er­last­ing Word:
He came to exe­cute the plan,
To save the fall­en race of man.

He is the Lord from Hea­ven come,
Our hu­man na­ture to as­sume,
Our sins to bear, His blood to shed,
And bruise and crush the ser­pent’s head.

He left His glo­ri­ous throne above,
And comes with pi­ty, grace, and love:
He comes to call the sons of men,
And turn them to their God again.

We praise Thee, O Thou King of peace!
Who art our life and right­eous­ness;
Thou vir­gin’s Son, Thou Da­vid’s Star:
No crea­ture can Thy love de­clare.

All such are tru­ly dead in sin,
Who feel them­selves not moved with­in,
To join with Chris­tians here on earth,
To show and praise the Sav­ior’s birth.

Let all who dwell with hosts on high!
Engage His praise to mag­ni­fy;
With all the ef­forts they can raise,
Thus join to sing the Sav­ior’s praise.