118a. It came upon the midnight clear

1 It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good-will to men,
From heaven's all-gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

2 Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

3 Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The words of peace they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!

4 O ye, beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way,
With painful steps and slow:
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

5 For lo! the days are hastening on
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Text Information
First Line: It came upon the midnight clear
Author: Dr. Edmund Sears, 1810-1876
Language: English
Publication Date: 1917
Topic: Angels: Song at Nativity; Christ: Leading; Christmas Hymns (6 more...)
Tune Information
Name: NOEL
Arranger: Sir A. Sullivan, 1842-1900
Meter: C.M.D.
Key: F Major or modal



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