Scripture Verse

Thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

Introduction

Words: Ma­ry E. Ser­voss, in Ho­ly Voic­es, ed­it­ed by Isai­ah Balt­zell & Ed­mund S. Lo­renz (Day­ton, Ohio: Will­iam J. Shu­ey, 1883), num­ber 235.

Music: Ba­tan­gas George C. Steb­bins, in Roy­al Hym­nal, ed­it­ed by Ro­bert Low­ry & Ira D. San­key (New York and Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1898), num­ber 47 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
George C. Stebbins (1846–1945)

Lyrics

What means this glo­ri­ous radiance
Across Judea’s plain?
These white winged angels singing
In such exultant strain?

Refrain

The King of glo­ry cometh,
Earth’s broken hearts to bind,
And God’s sal­va­tion morning
Hath dawned for all mankind.

What means this wondrous story
The holy angels tell,
Of One who reigned in Hea­ven,
And now on earth would dwell?

Refrain

Why bend these eastern sages
To one of lowly birth?
What means this heav’nly message
Of love and peace on earth?

Refrain

Ye wand’rers in earth’s darkness,
On ocean deep and land,
Hail, hail the joyful tidings,
The morning is at hand.

Refrain