Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: Bu­rton & Briggs, 1818), num­ber 43. Na­ti­vi­ty of Christ.

Music: Ma­no­ah ar­ranged from Giao­chi­no A. Ros­si­ni in Col­lect­ion of Church Mu­sic, by Hen­ry W. Great­or­ex, 1851 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bed­dome (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Gioachino A. Rossini
(1792–1868)

Lyrics

illustration
Annunciation to the Shepherds
Giovanni Do, ca. 1630
Wikimedia Commons

Ye shep­herds, lend a list­en­ing ear
To what the an­gels say;
They bring good tid­ings from afar,
And won­drous news con­vey.

To you, in Beth­le­hem’s lone­ly town,
A Sav­ior’s born to-day;
Go, view the heir of Da­vid’s crown,
And there your hom­age pay.

Behold the Stran­ger, and ad­ore
The mer­cy, love and grace,
Attested now, de­creed be­fore,
For Ad­am’s ru­ined race.

Glory to God in lof­ty strains,
At the Re­deem­er’s birth;
Let joy spread thro’ the heav’n­ly plains,
And peace abound on earth.

Let ev­ery heart and ev­ery tongue
Diffuse His praise abroad;
Shepherds, be­gin the rap­tur­ous song,
All hail, in­car­nate Lord.