’Tis Christmas Eve

’Tis Christ­mas eve! The set­ting sun

Makes sha­dows length­en on the plain;

The stars come twink­ling one by one

And bring the joy­ous night again.

Unlike Ju­dea’s si­lent plains

When wea­ried na­ture calm­ly slept

While shep­herds on the hills and glens

Their long and so­lemn vi­gils kept.

And where along the deep blue arch

A glo­ry shone

and then a throng

From where the spark­ling pla­nets march

Came fly­ing down with jo­yous song.

Unlike the time the wick­ed king

Sought where the in­fant Sav­ior lay

When God for­bade his base de­sign

And bore the pre­cious child away.

We joy to know that time is past

The bless­èd Sav­ior’s na­tal day

That He’s as­cend­ed to His home

And for His saints pre­pared the way.

Where an­gels tune their harps of gold

And saints a lof­ti­er song shall raise

While wait­ing my­ri­ads join the strain

In an eter­nal song of praise.