Softly up­on Beth­le­hem’s plains
Falls the gen­tle dew of night;
Sweetly so­lemn si­lence reigns—
Earth how calm, and Heav’n how bright!
Every star shines out alone,
Looking down from Heav’n to earth;
Beautiful as first they shone
Radiant at cre­ation’s birth.

O’er the slop­ing mount­ain’s side,
Clustering flocks of sheep re­pose;
Watchful shep­herds there abide,
Feed and guard them from their foes:
There they watch from ev­en­ing’s ray,
Sleepless un­til mid­night’s hush;
There in thought­ful mus­ings stay,
Till the tears of twi­light gush.

Happy shep­herds! lift your eyes;
Eastward cast your glance afar;
See! what lus­ter gilds the skies,
Lit by yon­der sig­nal star!
Slow des­cend­ing from above,
See! an an­gel form ap­pears!
God’s own mes­sen­ger of love
Brings glad tid­ings to your ears.

See! he folds his snowy wings;
Heav’n in mer­cy stoops to earth;
Listen to the news he brings,
Tidings of Mes­si­ah’s birth!
Shout in tri­umph, earth and Heav’n,
Swell the song of sweet ac­cord;
Jesus lives, the Son is giv’n,
Bow, and wor­ship Christ the Lord.

Multitudes of an­gels sing
Strains ce­les­ti­al, songs di­vine;
Glory to the new­born King!
Men may now with an­gels join;
Hallelujahs loud and long
Swell upon the shep­herds’ ears,
Richer far than mor­tal song,
Or the mu­sic of the spheres.

Happy shep­herds! let us go
Unto Beth­le­hem and see
God made ma­ni­fest be­low,
Smiling on His mo­ther’s knee.
Babe al­migh­ty! earth’s de­sire!
Heav’n’s an­oint­ed One art Thou;
Men and an­gels, son and sire,
Place the crown up­on His brow.