Let us be glad and rejoice.
Revelation 19:7
Words: Harry R. Showalter (1889–1992) (public domain). Appeared in Zion’s Praises, compiled by Aaron Z. Weaver, 6th edition (Pittsgrove, New Jersey: Weaver Music, 1987), page 130. Adapted by Richard W. Adams, 2024 (public domain).
Music: Webb George J. Webb, 1830 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know where to get a good photo of Showalter (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels), or better one of Webb,
We come with song rejoicing
And grateful praises bring
To Jesus our Redeemer;
He is the King of kings.
We view Him in a manger,
Asleep upon the hay,
When shepherds came to worship,
That first bright Christmas day.
Angelic choirs from Heaven
Proclaimed the news to them,
Sang glory in the highest,
Peace and goodwill toward men;
In David’s town, they told them,
The place of God’s design,
They’d find the newborn Savior,
With swaddling clothes the sign.
With haste they made the journey
To nearby Bethlehem,
To see the things the angels
Had made known unto them;
There they found Joseph, Mary,
And in a manger lay
The promised Child named Jesus,
O what a joyful day!
The shepherds were the first ones
To publish it abroad,
The tidings of salvation,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord;
The ancient, timeless message,
The Church’s glad refrain:
By faith in Christ our Savior,
Eternal life we gain.