Angel Hosts in Bright Array

Angel hosts in bright ar­ray—

Stars their night-watch keep­ing—

Earthward wend their si­lent way

While the world lies sleep­ing.

Through the win­try clouds they glide

On through por­tal hoa­ry

Where

the ox and ass be­side

Lies the Babe of Glo­ry.

Ring the bells

and sound the horn!

Shout with ex­ul­ta­tion!

Christ the Lord to­day is born

For the world’s sal­va­tion!

All un­seen by mor­tal eye

Reverent and low­ly;

Prostrate there

they laud on high

Him

the In­fant ho­ly.

From their lips ce­les­ti­al rise

Sounds

with joy o’er­flow­ing

Strains up­borne be­yond the skies

Hymns with rap­ture glow­ing.

Raphäel

arch­an­gel bright!

On thine er­rand wend­ing

Forth again in­to the night

Mount

the clouds as­cend­ing!

Take of that

thy glit­ter­ing train

Hosts of light

dear an­gel!

Then des­cend where Beth­le­hem’s plain

Waits thy longed evan­gel!

Hark the news the an­gel tells:

Lo! An in­fant strang­er

God’s dear Son among you dwells

Born in Beth­le­hem’s man­ger!

Bursts a chor­us from the sky

Loud from Heav­en’s por­tal:

Glory be to God on high

Peace

good­will to mor­tal!

Angel spir­its earth­ward led

With a hope en­dear­ing

First to wor­ship

first to spread

News of Christ’s ap­pear­ing!

Trace we out your foot­falls light

Praise we Christ in glo­ry

Then waft on the tid­ings bright

Of the Gos­pel’s sto­ry!