Come, all ye shepherds, ye children of earth,
Come ye, bring greetings to yon heavenly birth.
For Christ the Lord to all men is given,
To be our Savior sent down from Heaven:
Come, welcome Him!

Hasten then, hasten to Bethlehem’s stall,
There to see heaven descend to us all.
With holy feeling, there humbly kneeling,
We will adore Him, bow down before Him,
Worship the King.

Angels and shepherds together we go
Seeking the Savior from all earthly woe;
While angels, winging, His praise are singing,
Heaven’s echoes ringing, peace on earth bringing,
Good will to men.

Come, your hearts and voices raising,
Christ the Lord with gladness praising;
Loudly sing His love amazing,
Worthy folk of Christendom.

Sin and death may well be groaning,
Satan now may well be moaning;
We, our full salvation owning,
Cast our every care away.

See how God, for us providing,
Gave His Son and life abiding;
He our weary steps is guiding
From earth’s woes to heav’nly joy.

Christ, from Heaven to us descending
And in love our race befriending,
In our need His help extending,
Saved us from the wily foe.

Jacob’s Star in all its splendor
Beams with comfort sweet and tender,
Forcing Satan to surrender,
Breaking all the powers of hell.

From the bondage that oppressed us,
From sin’s fetters that possessed us,
From the grief that sore distressed us,
We, the captives, now are free.

Oh, the joy beyond expressing
When by faith we grasp this blessing
And to Thee we come confessing
That our freedom Thou hast wrought!

Gracious Child, we pray Thee, hear us,
From Thy lowly manger cheer us,
Gently lead us and be near us
Till we join th’angelic choir.

Let us now go to Bethlehem,
To see the wondrous thing—
Mary and Joseph and with them
The Babe, our infant King!
For we shall find on earth
The Heav’n of Heav’ns in Him,
The holy, holy, holy Son,
Beneath the cherubim.1

Let us now go to Bethlehem,
To see the wondrous thing—
Mary and Joseph and with them
The Babe, our infant King—
His Father’s glory come
To lift our hearts above.
First loved by Him and angel hosts
We carol back His love.

Let us then go to Bethlehem—
Faith’s star shall guide the way
To Jesus cradled in His Church,
This bright appearing day!
There, light’s true Light to Thee
We sing with glad accord.
To meet it is to celebrate
Thy birthday, Jesus, Lord!

1We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Hebrews 2:9

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

Refrain

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Refrain

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

Refrain

Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.

Refrain

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

Refrain

Our day of joy is here again,
With love and peace and song;
Come, let us join th’angelic strain
With voices clear and strong.

Refrain

Glory to our God, we sing,
Glory to our Lord and King;
Peace, goodwill with all abide
This holy Christmas tide.

When darkness lay upon this earth,
A glorious light did shine,
God sent a Gift of priceless worth
And showed His love divine.

Refrain

Now to the manger let us go
To worship and adore
The tender Babe upon the straw,
Our Savior evermore.

Refrain

How wonderful that God’s own Son
Should so Himself abase!
He thrust the mighty from their throne,
And gave the lowly grace.

Refrain

Sleep, my little Jesus,
On Thy bed of hay,
While the shepherds homeward
Journey on their way.
Mother is Thy shepherd
And will her vigil keep:
Did the voices wake Thee?
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain

Softly sleep, sweetly sleep,
My Jesus, sleep!

Sleep, my little Jesus,
While Thou art my own!
Ox and ass Thy neighbors,
Shalt Thou have a throne?
Will they call me blessèd?
Shall I stand and weep?
Be it far, Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain

Sleep, my little Jesus,
Wonder-baby mine!
Well the singing angels
Greet Thee as divine.
Through my heart, as heaven
Low the echoes sweep
Of glory to Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain

Hail to the Lord Who comes,
Comes to His temple gate;
Not with His angel host,
Not in His kingly state;
No shouts proclaim Him nigh,
No crowds His coming wait.

But, borne upon the throne
Of Mary’s gentle breast,
Watched by her duteous love,
In her fond arms at rest,
Thus to His Father’s house
He comes, the heav’nly Guest.

There Joseph at her side
In reverent wonder stands,
And, filled with holy joy,
Old Simeon in his hands
Takes up the promised Child,
The Glory of all lands.

Hail to the great First-born
Whose ransom price they pay!
The Son before all worlds,
The Child of man today,
That He might ransom us
Who still in bondage lay.

O Light of all the earth,
Thy children wait for Thee!
Come to Thy temples here,
That we, from sin set free,
Before Thy Father’s face
May all presented be!

O happy day, when first was poured
The blood of our redeeming Lord!
O happy day, when first began
His sufferings for sinful man!

Just entered on this world of woe,
His blood already learned to flow;
His future death was thus expressed,
And thus His early love confessed.

From heaven descending to fulfill
The mandates of His Father’s will,
E’en now behold the victim lie,
The Lamb of God, prepared to die!

Lord, circumcise our hearts, we pray,
Our fleshly natures purge away;
Thy Name, Thy likeness may they bear:
Yea, stamp Thy holy image there!

O Lord, the virgin born, to Thee
Eternal praise and glory be,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost forevermore.

In His temple now behold Him,
See the long expected Lord;
Ancient prophets had foretold Him—
God has now fulfilled His word.
Now to praise Him, His redeemèd
Shall break forth with one accord.

In the arms of her who bore Him,
Virgin pure, behold Him lie,
While his agèd saints adore Him
Ere in faith and hope they die.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Lo, th’incarnate God most high.

Jesus, by Thy presentation,
Thou, who didst for us endure,
Make us see our great salvation,
Seal us with Thy promise sure.
And present us in Thy glory
To Thy Father, cleansed and pure.

Prince and Author of salvation,
Be Thy boundless love our theme!
Jesus, praise to Thee be given
By the world Thou didst redeem.
With the Father and the Spirit,
Lord of majesty supreme!

In peace and joy I now depart
At God’s disposing;
For full of comfort is my heart,
Soft reposing.
So the Lord hath promised me,
And death is but a slumber.

’Tis Christ that wrought this work for me,
My faithful Savior,
Whom Thou hast made mine eyes to see
By Thy favor.
Now I know He is my Life,
My Help in need and dying.

Him Thou hast unto all set forth
Their great Salvation
And to His kingdom called the earth,
Every nation,
By Thy dear and wholesome Word,
In every place resounding.

He is the Hope and saving Light
Of lands benighted;
By Him are they who dwelt in night
Fed and lighted.
He is Israel’s Praise and Bliss,
Their Joy, Reward, and Glory.

Light of the Gentile nations,
Thy people’s joy and love,
Dawn by Thy Spirit hither,
We gladly come to prove
Thy presence in Thy temple,
And wait with earnest mind,
As Simeon once had waited
His Savior God to find.

Yes, Lord, Thy servants meet Thee,
Ev’n now, in ev’ry place,
Where Thy true Word hath promised
That they should see Thy face.
Thou yet wilt gently grant us,
Who gather round Thee here,
In faith’s strong arms to bear Thee,
As once that aged seer.

Be Thou our joy, our brightness,
That shines ’mid pain and loss,
Our Sun in times of terror,
The glory round our cross;
A glow in sinking spirits,
A sunbeam in distress,
Physician, friend in sickness;
In death our happiness.

Let us, O Lord, be faithful
With Simeon to the end,
That so his dying song may
From all our hearts ascend;
“O Lord, now let Thy servant
Depart in peace for aye,
Since I have seen my Savior,
Have here beheld His day.”

My Savior, I behold Thee
Now with the eye of faith;
No foe of Thee can rob me,
Though bitter words he saith;
Within Thy heart abiding,
As Thou dost dwell in me,
No pain, no death has terrors
To part my soul from Thee!

Thou Light of Gentile nations, Thou Savior from above,
Drawn by Thy Spirit’s leading, we come with joy and love
Into Thy holy temple and wait with earnest mind
As Simeon once had waited His God and Lord to find.

Yea, Lord, Thy servants meet Thee in every holy place
Where Thy true Word has promised that we should see Thy face.
Today Thou still dost grant us who gather around Thee here
In arms of faith to bear Thee as did that agèd seer.

Be Thou our Joy and Brightness, our Cheer in pain and loss,
Our Sun in darkest terror, the Glory round our cross,
A Star for sinking spirits, a Beacon in distress,
Physician, Friend in sickness, in death our Happiness.

Let us, O Lord, be faithful like Simeon to the end,
So that his prayer exultant may from our hearts ascend:
“O Lord, now let Thy servant depart in peace, I pray,
Since I have seen my Savior and here beheld His day.”

My Savior, I behold Thee with faith’s enlightened eye;
Of Thee no foe can rob me, his threats I can defy.
Within Thy heart abiding, as Thou, O Lord, in me,
Death can no longer frighten nor part my soul from Thee.

Lord, here on earth Thou seemest at times to frown on me,
And through my tears I often can scarce distinguish Thee;
But in the heavenly mansions shall nothing dim my sight;
There shall I see Thy glory in never-changing light.

It is glory just to walk with Him Whose blood has ransomed me;
It is rapture for my soul each day.
It is joy divine to feel Him near where’er my path may be.
Bless the Lord, it’s glory all the way!

Refrain

It is glory just to walk with Him,
It is glory just to walk with Him,
He will guide my steps aright
Through the vale and o’er the height,
It is glory just to walk with Him.

It is glory when the shadows fall to know that He is near.
O what joy to simply trust and pray!
It is glory to abide in Him when skies above are clear.
Yes, with Him, it’s glory all the way!

Refrain

’Twill be glory when I walk with Him on Heaven’s golden shore,
Never from His side again to stray.
’Twill be glory, wondrous glory with the Savior evermore,
Everlasting glory all the way!

Refrain

Lord Jesus, in the days of old
Two walked with Thee in waning light;
And love’s blind instinct made them bold
To crave Thy presence through the night.
As night descends, we too would pray,
O leave us not at close of day.

Did not their hearts within them burn?
And though their Lord they failed to know,
Did not their spirits inly yearn?
They could not let the Stranger go.
Much more must we who know Thee pray,
O leave us not at close of day.

O Zion, open wide thy gates,
Let figures disappear;
A Priest and Victim, both in One,
The Truth Himself, is here.

No more the simple flock shall bleed;
Behold, the Father’s Son
Himself to His own altar comes
For sinners to atone.

Conscious of hidden deity,
The lowly virgin brings
Her newborn Babe, with two young doves,
Her humble offerings.

The agèd Simeon sees at last
His Lord, so long desired,
And Anna welcomes Israel’s hope,
With holy rapture fired.

But silent knelt the mother blest
Of the yet silent Word,
And pondering all things in her heart,
With speechless praise adored.

All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run.

At the cross, her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Where He hung, the dying Lord;
For her soul of joy bereavèd,
Bowed with anguish, deeply grievèd,
Felt the sharp and piercing sword.

Oh, how sad and sore distressèd
Now was she, that mother blessèd
Of the sole begotten One;
Deep the woe of her affliction,
When she saw the crucifixion
Of her ever glorious Son.

Who, on Christ’s dear mother gazing
Pierced by anguish so amazing
Born of woman, would not weep?
Who, on Christ’s dear mother thinking
Such a cup of sorrow drinking
Would not share her sorrows deep?

For His people’s sins chastisèd,
She beheld her Son despisèd,
Scourged, and crowned with thorns entwined;
Saw Him then from judgment taken,
And in death by all forsaken,
Till His Spirit He resigned.

Jesu, may her deep devotion
Stir in me the same emotion,
Fount of love, Redeemer kind,
That my heart fresh ardor gaining,
And a purer love attaining,
May with Thee acceptance find.

Near the cross, her vigil keeping,
Stood the mother, worn with weeping,
Where He hung, the dying Lord;
Through her soul, in anguish groaning,
Bowed in sorrow, sighing, moaning,
Passed the sharp and piercing sword.

O the weight of her affliction!
Hers, who won God’s benediction,
Hers, who bore God’s Holy One:
O that speechless, ceaseless yearning!
O those dim eyes never turning
From her wondrous, suffering Son!

Who upon that mother gazing,
In her trouble so amazing,
Born of woman, would not weep?
Who of Christ’s dear mother thinking,
While her Son that cup is drinking,
Would not share her sorrow deep?

For His people’s sin chastisèd
She beheld her Son despisèd,
Bound and bleeding ’neath the rod;
Saw the Lord’s Anointed taken,
Dying desolate, forsaken,
Heard Him yield His soul to God.

Near Thy cross, O Christ, abiding,
Grief and love my heart dividing,
I with her would take my place;
By Thy guardian cross uphold me,
In Thy dying, Christ, enfold me
With the deathless arms of grace.

Near the cross was Mary weeping,
There her mournful station keeping,
Gazing on her dying Son;
There in speechless anguish groaning,
Yearning, trembling, sighing, moaning,
Through her soul the sword had gone.

When no eye its pity gave us,
When there was no arm to save us,
He His love and power displayed:
By His stripes He wrought our healing,
By His death, our life revealing,
He for us the ransom paid.

Jesus, may Thy love constrain us,
That from sin we may refrain us,
In Thy griefs may deeply grieve;
Thee our best affections giving,
To Thy glory ever living,
May we in Thy glory live.

By cool Siloam’s shady rill
How fair the lily grows!
How sweet the breath, beneath the hill,
Of Sharon’s dewy rose!

Lo! such the child whose early feet
The paths of peace have trod,
Whose secret heart, with influence sweet,
Is upward drawn to God.

By cool Siloam’s shady rill
The lily must decay;
The rose that blooms beneath the hill
Must shortly fade away.

And soon, too soon, the wintry hour
Of man’s maturer age
Will shake the soul with sorrow’s power
And stormy passion’s rage.

O Thou Whose infant feet were found
Within Thy Father’s shrine,
Whose years with changeless virtue crowned,
Were all alike divine.

Dependent on Thy bounteous breath,
We seek Thy grace alone,
In childhood, manhood, age, and death
To keep us still Thine own.

Once Jesus was a child like me,
But O, so kind and true;
His ever watchful eye can see
The very things I do.

Refrain

Yes, Jesus was a child like me,
But O, so pure and true;
My blessèd Savior He will be,
If I but love Him, too.

He played upon the village street,
In such a pleasant way;
And ran with glad and willing feet,
His parents to obey.

Refrain

I want to be His little child,
And more like Him to grow;
And ever truthful, good and mild,
Because He loves me so.

Refrain

And now to Jesus I will pray,
To pardon me from sin;
And if I serve Him every day,
His blessing I shall win.

Refrain

What wisdom, majesty and grace
Through all the Gospel shine!
’Tis God that speaks, and we confess
The doctrine most divine.

Down from His starry throne on high,
Th’almighty Savior comes;
Lays His bright robes of glory by,
And feeble flesh assumes.

The mighty debt that sinners owed,
Upon the cross He pays;
Then through the clouds ascends to God,
’Midst shouts of loftiest praise.

There He, our great High Priest, appears,
Before His Father’s throne;
Mingles His merits with our tears,
And pours salvation down.

Within the Father’s house
The Son hath found His home;
And to His temple suddenly
The Lord of Life hath come.

The doctors of the law
Gaze on the wondrous Child,
And marvel at His gracious words
Of wisdom undefiled.

Yet not to them is giv’n
The mighty truth to know,
To lift the fleshly veil which hides
Incarnate God below.

The secret of the Lord
Escapes each human eye,
And faithful pondering hearts await
The full epiphany.

Lord, visit Thou our souls,
And teach us by Thy grace
Each dim revealing of Thyself
With loving awe to trace;

Till from our darkened sight
The cloud shall pass away,
And on the cleansèd soul shall burst
The everlasting day.

Till we behold Thy face,
And know, as we are known,
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Co-equal Three in One.

Jesus a child His work begun:
How radiant dawned His heavenly day!
And those who such a race would run
As early should be on their way.

His Father’s business was His care;
Yet in man’s favor still He grew;
O might we learn by thought and prayer,
Like Him a work of love to do!

For all mankind He came, nor yet
An infant’s visit would deny;
Nor friend nor mother did forget
In His last hour of agony.

O children, ask Him to impart
That spirit clear, that temper mild,
Which made the mother in her heart
Keep all the sayings of her Child.

Bless Him Who said, of such as you
His Father’s kingdom is: and still,
His yoke to bear, His work to do,
Study His life to learn His will.

O Master Workman of the race, Thou Man of Galilee,
Who with the eyes of early youth eternal things did see,
We thank Thee for Thy boyhood faith that shone Thy whole life through;
“Did ye not know it is My work, My Father’s work to do?”

O Carpenter of Nazareth, Builder of life divine,
Who shapest man to God’s own law, Thyself the fair design,
Build us a tower of Christlike height, that we the land may view,
And see, like Thee, our noblest work, our Father’s work to do.

O Thou Who dost the vision send and givest each his task,
And with the task sufficient strength, show us Thy will, we ask;
Give us a conscience bold and good, give us a purpose true,
That it may be our highest joy our Father’s work to do.

Let us be about our Father’s business,
Ev’ry day, as we go
On our way here below:
Never let it suffer thro’ remissness,
But seek to make it thrive and grow.

Refrain

Then respond to the call,
He has use for us all,
And His work is a labor of love;
And the days soon will come
In the great Harvest Home,
For our rest and rejoicing above.

Do you ask what is the work He sends us?
’Tis whate’er we can do,
’Tis to bear and be true,
And to use the talents that He lends us,
That others may accept Him too.

Refrain

When in Heaven and the toil is ended,
Oh, what bliss it will be
In that place then to see
Those dear souls whom we on earth befriended,
And led to Him Who made them free.

Refrain

In stature grows the heavenly Child,
With death before His eyes;
A Lamb unblemished, meek and mild,
Prepared for sacrifice.

The Son of God His glory hides
With parents mean and poor;
And He Who made the heaven abides
In dwelling place obscure.

Those mighty hands that stay the sky
No earthly toil refuse;
And He Who set the stars on high
An humble trade pursues.

He before Whom the angels stand,
At Whose behest they fly,
Now yields himself to man’s command,
And lay His glory by.

Jesu, the virgin’s holy Son,
We praise Thee and adore,
Who art with god the Father One,
And Spirit evermore.

O Christ, who didst our tasks fulfill,
Didst share the hopes of youth,
Our Savior and our Brother still,
Now lead us into truth.

The call is Thine: be Thou the Way,
And Thine the hearts that guide;
Let wisdom broaden with the day,
Let human faith abide.

Who learns of Thee the truth shall find,
Who follows, wins the goal;
With reverence crown the earnest mind,
And speak within the soul.

Waken the purpose high which strives,
And, falling, stands again;
Confirm the will of eager lives
To quit themselves like men.

Thy life the bond of fellowship,
Thy love the law that rules,
Thy Name, proclaimed by every lip,
The Master of our schools.

O holy Lord, content to fill
In lowly home the lowliest place,
Thy childhood’s law a mother’s will,
Obedience meek Thy brightest grace;

Lead every child that bears Thy Name
To walk in Thine own guileless way,
To dread the touch of sin and shame,
And humbly, like Thyself, obey.

O let not this world’s scorching glow
Thy Spirit’s quickening dew efface,
Nor blast of sin to rudely blow,
And quench the trembling flame of grace.

Gather Thy lambs within Thine arm,
And gently in Thy bosom bear;
Keep them, O Lord, from hurt and harm,
And bid them rest for ever there.

So shall they, waiting here below,
Like Thee their Lord, a little span,
In wisdom and in stature grow,
And favor with both God and man.

O Jesus, once a Nazareth boy,
And tempted like as we,
All inward foes help us destroy
And spotless all to be.
We trust Thee for the grace to win
The high, victorious, goal,
Where purity shall conquer sin
In Christlike self control.

O Jesus, Prince of life and truth,
Beneath Thy banner bright,
We dedicate our strength and youth
To battle for the right;
We give our lives with glad intent
To serve the world and Thee,
To die, to suffer and be spent
To set our brothers free.

In serried ranks, we fearless tread,
O Captain of us all,
Thy glory on our banners shed,
We answer to Thy call;
And where the fiercest battles press
Against the hosts of sin,
To rescue those in dire distress
We gladly enter in.