O dark was the night and cold blew the wind,
But Jo­seph and Ma­ry no shel­ter could find;
In all the fair ci­ty of Beth­le­hem,
In cot­tage or inn was no room for them!

Refrain

Gloria in ex­cel­sis,
Gloria in ex­cel­sis,
Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

But in a poor sta­ble their couch was made,
And low in a man­ger the Babe was laid.
O fair was the Child, the mo­ther how fair!
But on­ly the ox­en stood wait­ing there!

Refrain

But out on the hills was a won­drous light,
And hea­ven­ly mu­sic en­tranced the night;
And beasts of the field were roused in their lair
By the sound of voic­es and harps in the air.

Refrain

And shep­herds awatch­ing their flocks by night
Espied in the hea­vens a mar­vel­ous sight;
Of an­gels and spir­its a migh­ty throng.
For joy and great glad­ness sing­ing this song:

Refrain

O come then, ye faith­ful, ye men of good will,
Let joy and thanks­giv­ing ev­ery heart fill;
Tell out the glad tid­ings that Je­sus has come,
To op­en the way to the hea­ven­ly home.

Refrain