Over hills and ov­er plains,
Ring a thou­sand bells,
Each the same great truth pro­claims,
Each the sto­ry tells;
Old, old sto­ry, ev­er new,
Wondrous sto­ry, ev­er true.

Refrain

Old, old sto­ry, ev­er new,
Wondrous sto­ry, ev­er true.

Shepherds watch­ing once by night,
Watching long ago,
Heard a ser­aph choir bright
Murmur soft and low—
Goodwill and love, love and good­will.
Then an­gels spoke, and all was still,

Refrain

Very hum­bly, in a manger—
Holy stars in sight—
Lowly lies a lit­tle strang­er,
Messenger of light.
He, the pro­mis­èd of old,
He, the Sav­ior long fore­told.

Refrain

Haste ye, shep­herds, see the won­der,
Fear not mock or scorn;
Mark how in proud Da­vid’s ci­ty
Christ your Lord is born.
His great mis­sion nev­er shall cease
Till the world be filled with peace.

Refrain

Sound the truth o’er all the na­tions,
Wide your joy­bells fling;
Christ has lived—our great ex­am­plar,
Brother, Lord, and king.
Sound Christ­mas, ye seem to say,
God’s peace be un­to all this day!