Scripture Verse

Bethlehem Ephratah, 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: Charles W. E. Sie­gel, in Forms and Hymns for Christ­mas (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Hei­del­berg Press, 1906), num­ber 10.

Music: Ferd K. Hill (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Night in si­lence deep and holy,
Broods o’er an­cient Beth­le­hem;
Shepherds in their sta­tion low­ly,
Faintly hear the star­ry hymn
Sounding forth cre­ation’s sto­ry,
Where the sons of God sang glo­ry.
Glory in the high­est, glo­ry,
Peace on earth, good will to men.

Refrain

Hark a chor­us grand,
From that shin­ing land,
Glory in the high­est, glo­ry,
Peace on earth, good will to men.

Earth is wrapped in si­lent slum­ber;
Souls lie prone in deep­er night;
Nearer, near­er, with­out num­ber,
Come the her­alds, robed in light.
Now cre­ation’s hymn is blend­ing
With re­demp­tion’s joy un­end­ing.
Glory in the high­est, glo­ry,
Peace on earth, good will to men.

Refrain

Night in si­lence deep and ho­ly,
We thy bless­èd mys­te­ry share;
Savior, at Thy man­ger low­ly,
Bow our souls in hum­ble pray­er.
Waiting for th’eter­nal morn­ing,
We, with saints and an­gels join­ing,
Glory in the high­est, glo­ry,
Peace on earth, good will to men.

Refrain