Scripture Verse

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:8–9

Introduction

portrait
Edward Caswall
(1814–1878)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Ed­ward Cas­wall, in Ea­sy Hymn Tunes…Adapt­ed for Ca­tho­lic Schools, 1851, and lat­er in Cas­wall’s Masque of Ma­ry, 1858, pages 259–60.

Music: hu­mil­ity (Goss) John Goss, 1871 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
John Goss (1800–1880)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

See amid the win­ter’s snow,
Born for us on earth be­low,
See, the gen­tle Lamb ap­pears,
Promised from eter­nal years.

Refrain

Hail thou ev­er bless­èd morn!
Hail re­demp­tion’s hap­py dawn!
Sing through all Je­ru­sa­lem:
Christ is born in Beth­le­hem!

Lo, with­in a man­ger lies
He who built the star­ry skies;
He who, throned in height sub­lime,
Sits amid the che­ru­bim!

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Say, you ho­ly shep­herds, say,
Tell your joy­ful news to­day;
Wherefore have you left your sheep
On the lone­ly mount­ain steep?

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As we watched at dead of night,
Lo, we saw a won­drous light;
Angels sing­ing Peace on earth
Told us of the Sav­ior’s birth.

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Sacred In­fant, all di­vine,
What a ten­der love was Thine;
Thus to come from high­est bliss
Down to such a world as this.

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Teach, O teach us, ho­ly Child,
By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to re­sem­ble Thee,
In Thy sweet hu­mil­ity!

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