The world was hushed in si­lence deep,
The wait­ing shep­herds watched their sheep;
When came the joy­ful an­gel throng,
And list­en­ing ag­es caught their song.
O glo­ri­ous song! O bless­èd sto­ry!
It floats along from realms of glo­ry.
Each Christ­mas day it comes again—
On earth be peace! Good will to men!

A won­drous star was sent to shine,
And show the world the Ba­be di­vine;
And from the east the wise men came,
With roy­al honors to His name.
O guid­ing star, so bright­ly beam­ing!
From ag­es far thy ra­di­ance stream­ing,
Still draws the na­tions to His feet,
The Babe of Beth­le­hem to greet!

’Twas Love that brought Him here to earth,
’Twas Love that planned His hum­ble birth;
’Tis Love that draws us to Him now,
And bids us at His feet to bow.
O ho­ly Love! in full­est mea­sure,
We bring to Thee our rich­est trea­sure,
To grace Thy glow­ing di­adem,
O bless­èd Babe of Beth­le­hem!