This Week's Zoom Hymns

 

O Little town of Bethlehem

CH4 304   Forest Green

Music: English trad. mel., harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams
Words: Phillips Brooks

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem.mp3

1 O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see you lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in your streets is shining
the everlasting Light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in you tonight.

2 O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary;
and, gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.

3 How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

4 O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel.

 

Jesus is born

CH4 311   Sing Lullaby (Oi Betleem)

Music: Basque trad., arr. Charles Edgar Pettman
Words: Pat Bennett

 

311 Jesus is born.mp3

1 Jesus is born:
formed in a womb and now a baby,
Jesus is born.
Swaddled and small he sleeps in hay.
Setting aside his power and glory,
homeless he enters human story:
Christ comes to earth.

2 Jesus is born:
angels announce a joyful message,
Jesus is born.
Peace on the earth, goodwill to all.
This is the hour God shows his favour,
sending his Son, creation’s Saviour:
Hope comes to earth.

3 Jesus is born:
high overhead a star is shining,
Jesus is born.
Earth houses uncreated light.
Now is the hold of darkness broken
as hearts and minds to God are opened:
Light comes to earth.

4 Jesus is born:
this night the world is changed for ever.
Jesus is born,
and in this babe, for all to see,
Love is revealed; God’s heart lies open
as the incarnate Word is spoken:
God comes to earth.

 

Joy to the world

CH4 320   Antioch

Music: W. Holford’s Voce di Melodia, arr. Lowell Mason

Words: Isaac Watts

 

Joy to the World.mp3

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.