Once again, O bless­èd time,
Thankful hearts em­brace thee;
If we lost thy fes­tal chime,
What could ev­er re­place thee?
What could ev­er re­place thee?
Change will dark­en ma­ny a day,
Many a bond dis­se­ver;
Many a joy shall pass away,
But the Great Joy ne­ver.
But the Great Joy ne­ver.
But the Great Joy ne­ver!

Once again the ho­ly night
Breathes its bless­ing ten­der;
Once again the man­ger light
Sheds its gen­tle splen­dor,
Sheds its gen­tle splen­dor;
Oh! could tongues by an­gels taught
Speak our ex­ul­ta­tion
In the vir­gin’s child that brought
All man­kind sal­va­tion?
In the virg­in’s child that brought
All man­kind sal­va­tion?
All man­kind sal­va­tion?
All man­kind sal­va­tion?

Welcome Thou to souls athirst,
Fount of end­less plea­sure:
Gates of Hell may do their worst,
While we clasp our trea­sure,
While we clasp our trea­sure;
Welcome, though an age like this
Puts Thy name on tri­al,
And the truth that makes our bliss
Pleads against de­ni­al,
Pleads against de­ni­al,
Pleads against de­ni­al!

Yea, if oth­ers stand apart,
We will press the near­er;
Yea, O best fra­ter­nal Heart,
We will hold Thee dear­er,
We will hold Thee dear­er;
Faithful lips shall an­swer thus
To all faith­less scorn­ing,
Je­sus Christ is God with us,
Born on Christ­mas morn­ing.
Born on Christ­mas morn­ing.
Born on Christ­mas morn­ing.

So we yield Thee all we can,
Worship, thanks, and bless­ing;
Thee true God, and Thee true Man,
On our knees con­fess­ing;
While Thy birth­day morn we greet
With our best de­vo­tion,
Bathe us, O most true and sweet!
In Thy mer­cy’s ocean.
Bathe us, O most true and sweet!
In Thy mer­cy’s ocean.
In Thy mer­cy’s ocean.

Thou that once, ’mid sta­ble cold,
Wast in babe-clothes ly­ing,
Thou whose al­tar veils en­fold
Power and life un­dy­ing,
Power and life un­dy­ing;
Thou whose love be­stows a worth
On each poor en­dea­vor,
Have Thou joy of this Thy birth
In our praise for­ev­er.
In our praise for­ev­er.
In our praise for­ev­er.