While shep­herds watched their flocks by night,
All seat­ed on the ground,
The an­gel of the Lord came down,
And glo­ry shone around,
And glo­ry shone around.

Fear not! said he, for migh­ty dread
Had seized their trou­bled mind.
“Glad tid­ings of great joy I bring
To you and all man­kind
To you and all man­kind.

“To you, in Da­vid’s town, this day
Is born of Da­vid’s line
A Sav­ior, who is Christ the Lord,
And this shall be the sign,
And this shall be the sign.

The heav’nly Babe you there shall find
To hu­man view dis­played,
All mean­ly wrapped in swath­ing bands,
And in a man­ger laid,
And in a man­ger laid.

Thus spake the se­raph and forth­with
Appeared a shin­ing throng
Of ang­els prais­ing God on high,
Who thus ad­dressed their song,
Who thus ad­dressed their song:

All glo­ry be to God on high,
And to the Earth be peace;
Good will hence­forth from Heav’n to men
Begin and ne­ver cease,
Begin and ne­ver cease!