So ends the ag­es’ vigil,
So ends the pro­phets’ line;
Forth from the vir­gin’s bless­èd womb
Comes now the Babe di­vine.

Out of the high­est Hea­ven
Down to the won­der­ing earth
Come an­gel choirs des­cend­ing
To sing Mes­si­ah’s birth.

One with th’eter­nal Fa­ther
A hu­man name He bears:
See God and man unit­ed,
Veiled in the flesh He wears.

This is the King im­mor­tal
That na­tions all shall seek;
Ne’er rul­er so ma­jes­tic
Never a prince so meek.

Clad in a hum­ble ves­ture,
With peace His rod of might,
See kings ap­proach His pre­sence
And trem­ble at the sight.

His in­no­cence is er­mine,
And po­ver­ty His crown,
Love is His throne of glo­ry
And mer­cy His re­nown.

He home­less lies in man­ger,
But pi­ty does not crave:
He still rules all cre­ation,
Still migh­ty, strong to save.

Blest hence­forth are the low­ly
Who of His meek­ness learn;
Blest those who sow His mer­cy,
They mer­cy reap in turn.

Blest those who fa­mi­ly, for­tune
Renounce for His dear sake;
They count no bur­den griev­ous
That Christ gives them to take.

Just one cold cup of wa­ter
Unto His small ones giv’n,
The giv­er shall re­ceive it back
Filled from the springs of Heav’n.

Blessèd the least be­liev­er
More than the pro­phets old,
Who in the low­ly man­ger
Their Sav­ior, God, be­hold.

Fall at His feet, you faith­ful,
Bow to the King of kings!
As count­less hosts adore Him
And fold you in their wings.

Now hear their sweet­est car­ols,
That bright with rap­ture rise;
Come, join the joy­ful chor­us
That cir­cles earth and skies!