Christmas / George Herbert

SOURCE

THe shepherds sing; and shall I silent be?

                My God, no hymn for thee?

My soul ’s a shepherd too; a flock it feeds

                Of thoughts, and words, and deeds.

The pasture is thy word: the streams, thy grace

                Enriching all the place.

Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers

                Out-sing the day-light houres.

Then we will chide the sunne for letting night

                Take up his place and right:

We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should

                Himself the candle hold.

I will go searching, till I finde a sunne

                Shall stay, till we have done;

A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,

                As frost-nipt sunnes look sadly.

Then we will sing, shine all our own day,

                And one another pay:

His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,

Till ev’n his beams sing, and my musick shine.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night / Margaret Deland

SOURCE

Like small curled feathers, white and soft,

    The little clouds went by,

Across the moon, and past the stars,

    And down the western sky:

In upland pastures, where the grass

    With frosted dew was white,

Like snowy clouds the young sheep lay,

    That first, best Christmas night.

The shepherds slept; and, glimmering faint,

    With twist of thin, blue smoke,

Only their fire's crackling flames

    The tender silence broke—

Save when a young lamb raised his head,

    Or, when the night wind blew,

A nesting bird would softly stir,

    Where dusky olives grew—

With finger on her solemn lip,

    Night hushed the shadowy earth,

And only stars and angels saw

    The little Saviour's birth;

Then came such flash of silver light

    Across the bending skies,

The wondering shepherds woke, and hid

    Their frightened, dazzled eyes!

And all their gentle sleepy flock

    Looked up, then slept again,

Nor knew the light that dimmed the stars

    Brought endless Peace to men—

Nor even heard the gracious words

    That down the ages ring—

The Christ is born! the Lord has come,

    Good-will on earth to bring!

Then o'er the moonlit, misty fields,

    Dumb with the world's great joy,

The shepherds sought the white-walled town,

    Where lay the baby boy—

And oh, the gladness of the world,

    The glory of the skies,

Because the longed-for Christ looked up

    In Mary's happy eyes!

On Shepherds' Pipes / William Drummond

SOURCE

O than the fairest day, thrice fairer night!

Night to blest days in which a sun doth rise

Of which that golden age which clears the skies

Is but a sparkling ray, a shadow-light!

And blessed ye, in silly pastors' sight,

Mild creatures, in whose warm crib now lies

That heaven-sent youngling, holy-maid-born wight:

Midst, end, beginning of our prophecies!

Blest cottage that hath flowers in winter spread,

Though withered--blessed grass that hath the grace

To deck and be a carpet to that place!

Thus sang, unto the sounds, of oaten reed,

Before the Babe, the shepherds bowed on knees;

And springs ran nectar, honey dropped from trees.

O, Holy Night! (A Christmas Carol) / Thos. C. Roney

SOURCE

Oh, holy night! Oh, glorious light,

     That shines on Bethlehem town!

Oh, music sweet, that from the skies

     Comes floating softly down!

The echo of the angels' song

     Falls on our ears again:

“All glory be to God on high,

     And peace, good will to men.”

The shepherds heard, like note of bird,

     That midnight carol clear,

And to the manger and the babe

     In awe and love drew near

And, as they gazed, the heavenly strain

     Rang in their hearts again:

“All glory be to God on high,

     And peace, good will to men”

'Twas service sweet, 'twas homage meet

     For lowly men to pay;

And we our hearts' obeisance make

     Upon this Christmas day.

We join ye, angel choristers,

     As ye repeat again:

“All glory be to God on high,

     And peace, good will to men.”

Oh, holy night! Oh, glorious light,

     That shines on Bethlehem town!

Oh, music sweet, that from the skies

     Comes softly floating down!

We catch the golden cadences

     And fling them back again --

“All glory be to God on high,

     And peace, good will to men.”

Wartime Christmas / Joyce Kilmer

SOURCE

Led by a star, a golden star,

The youngest star, an olden star,

Here the kings and the shepherds are,

A kneeling on the ground.

What did they come to the inn to see?

God in the Highest, and this is He,

A baby asleep on His mother’s knee

And with her kisses crowned. 

Now is the earth a dreary place,

A troubled place, a weary place.

Peace has hidden her lovely face

And turned in tears away.

Yet the sun, through the war-cloud, sees

Babies asleep on their mother’s knees.

While there are love and home—and these—

There shall be Christmas Day.

Light In The Darkness / Norval Clyne

SOURCE

The blasts of chill December sound

    The farewell of the year,

And night's swift shadows gath'ring round

    O'er cloud the soul with fear;

But rest you well, good Christian men,

    Nor be of heart forlorn;

December's darkness begins again

    The Light of Christmas morn.

The welcome snow at Christmas-tyde

    Falls shining from the skies:

On village paths and uplands wide

    All holy-white it lies;

It crowns with pearl the oaks and pines,

    And glitters on the thorn,

And purer is the Light that shines

    On gladsome Christmas morn.

'Twas when the world was waxing old,

    And night on Bethlehem lay,

The shepherds saw the heavens unfold

    A light beyond the day;

Such glory ne'er had visited

    A world with sin outworn;

But yet more glorious Light is shed

    On happy Christmas morn.

Those shepherds poor, how blest were they

    The angels' song to hear!

In manger cradle as He lay,

    To greet their Lord so dear!

The Lord of Heaven's eternal height

    For us a Child was born:

And He, the very Light of Light,

    Shone forth that Christmas morn!

Before His Infant smile afar

    Were driven the hosts of hell;

And still in souls that childlike are

    His guardian Love shall dwell:

O then rejoice, good Christian men,

    Nor be of hear forlorn;

December's darkness bring again

    The Light of Christmas morn.

Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her (From Heaven above to earth I come) / Martin Luther, trans. Winkworth

SOURCE

From Heaven above to earth I come

To bear good news to every home;

Glad tidings of great joy I bring

Whereof I now will say and sing:

To you this night is born a child

Of Mary, chosen mother mild;

This little child, of lowly birth,

Shall be the joy of all your earth.

'Tis Christ our God who far on high

Hath heard your sad and bitter cry;

Himself will your Salvation be,

Himself from sin will make you free.

He brings those blessings, long ago

Prepared by God for all below;

Henceforth His kingdom open stands

To you, as to the angel bands.

These are the tokens ye shall mark,

The swaddling clothes and manger dark;

There shall ye find the young child laid,

By whom the heavens and earth were made.

Now let us all with gladsome cheer

Follow the shepherds, and draw near

To see this wondrous gift of God

Who hath His only Son bestowed.

Give heed, my heart, lift up thine eyes!

Who is it in yon manger lies?

Who is this child so young and fair?

The blessed Christ-child lieth there.

Welcome to earth, Thou noble guest,

Through whom e'en wicked men are blest!

Thou com'st to share our misery,

What can we render, Lord, to Thee!

Ah, Lord, who hast created all,

How hast Thou made Thee weak and small,

That Thou must choose Thy infant bed

Where ass and ox but lately fed!

Were earth a thousand times as fair,

Beset with gold and jewels rare,

She yet were far too poor to be

A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee.

For velvets soft and silken stuff

Thou hast but hay and straw so rough,

Whereon Thou King, so rich and great,

As 'twere Thy heaven, art throned in state.

Thus hath it pleased Thee to make plain

The truth to us poor fools and vain,

That this world's honour, wealth and might

Are nought and worthless in Thy sight.

Ah! dearest Jesus, Holy Child,

Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,

Within my heart, that it may be

A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

My heart for very joy doth leap,

My lips no more can silence keep;

I too must sing with joyful tongue

That sweetest ancient cradle-song—

Glory to God in highest Heaven,

Who unto man His Son hath given!

While angels sing with pious mirth

A glad New Year to all the earth.

Christmas Carol / Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, trans. Longfellow

SOURCE 

When Christ was born in Bethlehem,

'T was night, but seemed the noon of day;

    The stars, whose light

    Was pure and bright,

    Shone with unwavering ray;

But one, one glorious star

Guided the Eastern Magi from afar.

Then peace was spread throughout the land;

The lion fed beside the tender lamb;

    And with the kid,

    To pasture led,

    The spotted leopard fed;

In peace, the calf and bear,

The wolf and lamb reposed together there.

As shepherds watched their flocks by night,

An angel, brighter than the sun's own light,

    Appeared in air,

    And gently said,

    Fear not,--be not afraid,

For lo! beneath your eyes,

Earth has become a smiling paradise.

Christmas Carol / Sarah Teasdale

SOURCE

The kings they came from out the south,
   All dressed in ermine fine;
They bore Him gold and chrysoprase,
   And gifts of precious wine.

The shepherds came from out the north,
   Their coats were brown and old;
They brought Him little new-born lambs—
   They had not any gold.

The wise men came from out the east,
   And they were wrapped in white;
The star that led them all the way
   Did glorify the night.

The angels came from heaven high,
   And they were clad with wings;
And lo, they brought a joyful song
   The host of heaven sings.

The kings they knocked upon the door,
   The wise men entered in,
The shepherds followed after them
   To hear the song begin.

The angels sang through all the night
   Until the rising sun,
But little Jesus fell asleep
   Before the song was done.

A Hymn on the Nativity of My Savior / by Ben Jonson

SOURCE 

I sing the birth was born tonight,
The Author both of life and light;
     The angels so did sound it,
And like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light, and were afraid,
     Yet searched, and true they found it.

The Son of God, the eternal King,
That did us all salvation bring,
     And freed the soul from danger;
He whom the whole world could not take,
The Word, which heaven and earth did make,
     Was now laid in a manger.

The Father's wisdom willed it so,
The Son's obedience knew no "No,"
     Both wills were in one stature;
And as that wisdom had decreed,
The Word was now made Flesh indeed,
     And took on Him our nature.

What comfort by Him do we win?
Who made Himself the Prince of sin,
     To make us heirs of glory?
To see this Babe, all innocence,
A Martyr born in our defense,
     Can man forget this story?

He is So Sweet and Small / Gerard Bullet

We saw Him sleeping in His manger bed
And flatered feet and heart in holy dread.
Until we heard the maiden-mother call:
"Come hither, sirs, He is so sweet and small."

She was more fair than ye have looked upon,
She was the moon and He her little sun;
"O Lord," we cried, "have mercy on us all!"
"But ah," qod she, "He is so sweet and small."

Whereat the blessed beasts with one accord
Gave tongue to praise their little blessed Lord,
Oxen and asses singing in their stall:
"The King of Kings He is so sweet and small."

While by my sheep / Hugo Jüngst

SOURCE - CPDL 
FOR - SATB

While by the sheep I watched at night,
Glad tidings brought an angel bright.

 Refrain:
How great our joy! (Great our joy!)
Joy, joy, joy! (Joy, joy, joy!)
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
(Praise we the Lord in heaven on high)!

There shall be born, so he did say,
In Bethlehem a Child today.
 Refrain

There shall he lie in a manger mean,
Who shall redeem the world from sin.
 Refrain

Lord, evermore to me be nigh,
Then shall my heart be fill'd with joy!
 Refrain

What Child is this? / Traditional

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - various arrangements

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

To God on high all glory be / Adam Geibel

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - SATB

The shepherds saw in Eastern sky,

Star of promise shining bright,

Ever gleaming, gleaming ever,

With its bright effulgent light.

Refrain:

Blessed Saviour, Son of Mary,

In a stable He was born,

Holy Angels watching o'er Him,

On that natal Christmas morn.

In David's city, ere the dawn,

In a manger, Christ was born,

Holy Angels watching o'er Him,

On that natal Christmas morn.

Refrain.

Of noble, royal lineage

House of David, Prince and King,

Came our Saviour, infant Jesus,

And His praises we will sing.

Refrain.

"To God on high all glory be,"

Thus the joyous paean ran;

"Ever hail our Saviour's advent -

Peace on earth, good will to man."

Refrain.

There were shepherds / Dudley Buck

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - SATB with soprano solo

There were shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flocks by night,
and Lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them;
and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
"Fear not! for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people;
For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, is Christ the Lord."
And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heav'nly host, praising God and saying:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men, Amen. 

Silent Night / Franz Gruber

SOURCE - CPDL

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Softly the night is sleeping / Douglas Brooks-Davies

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - SATB

Softly the night is sleeping on Bethlehem’s peaceful hill
Silent the shepherds watching, their gentle flocks are still.
But hark! The wondrous music falls from the op’ning sky
Valley and cliff reecho glory to God on high!
Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to men.

Come with the gladsome shepherds, quick hast’ning from the fold,
Come with the wise men bringing incense and myrrh and gold;
Come to Him poor and lowly around the cradle throng,
Come with your hearts of sunshine and sing the angels’ song.
Glory to God on high, Glory to God,
Peace on the earth, good will to men. 

Shiloh / William Billings

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - SATB

Me thinks I see an Heav'nly Host

of angels on the Wing;

me thinks I hear their cheerful notes,

so merrily they sing.

Let all your fears be banished hence,

glad tidings I proclaim;

for there is a Saviour born today

and Jesus is his name.

Lay down your crooks and quit your flocks,

to Bethlehem repair;

and let your wandering steps be squared

By yonder shining star.

Seek not in Courts or Palaces;

Nor Royal curtains draw;

But search the Stable,

see your God extended on the straw,

Then learn from hence, ye rural swains,

the meekness of your God,

who left the boundless realms of joy,

to ransom you with blood.

The master of the inn refused

A more commodious place;

Ungen'rous soul of savage mould

And destitute of grace.

Exult ye oxen, low for joy,

ye tenants of the stall;

Pay your obeisance;

on your knees unanimously fall.

The Royal Guest you entertain

is not of common birth,

But second in the Great I Am,

The God of Heav'n and earth.

Then suddenly a Heav'nly Host

around the shepherds throng,

exulting in the Three-fold God,

and thus addressed their song.

To God the Father, Christ the Son,

And Holy Ghost accord

The first and last,

Eternal praise afford.

Rise up, shepherd / Traditional

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - SATB

There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
It will lead to the place where the Christ was born,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
Follow, follow, rise up, shepherd, and follow.
Follow the Star of Bethlehem,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.

If you take good heed to the angel’s words,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
You’ll forget your flocks, you’ll forget your herds,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
Follow, follow, rise up,...

Rolling downward, through the midnight / Robert Lowry

SOURCE - CPDL 
FOR - SATB

Rolling downward, through the midnight,

Comes a glorious burst of heav’nly song;

’Tis a chorus full of sweetness—

And the singers are an angel throng.

Refrain:

“Glory! glory in the highest!

On the earth goodwill and peace to men!”

Down the ages send the echo;

Let the glad earth shout again!

Wondering shepherds see the glory,

Hear the word the shining ones declare;

At the manger fall in worship,

While the music fills the quivering air.

Refrain.

Christ the Savior, God’s Anointed,

Comes to earth our fearful debt to pay—

Man of sorrows, and rejected,

Lamb of God, that takes our sin away.

Refrain.