As Joseph Was a Walking

As Joseph was a walk­ing

He heard an an­gel sing;

His song was of the com­ing

Of Christ

our Sav­ior King.

The good man

long de­ject­ed

Had knelt to Him who hears;

The blest re­frain now swell­ing

Removes his doubts and fears.

“Be not afraid when hear­ing

The choirs se­raph­ic sing;

This night shall be the birth­tide

Of Christ the heav­en­ly King;

He neith­er shall in hous­en

Be born

nor yet in hall;

Nor bed

nor dow­ny pil­low

But in an ox­en stall.

He nei­ther shall be cloth­èd

In pur­ple nor in pall

But in the fair white lin­en

That us­en ba­bies all.

He nei­ther shall be rock­èd

In sil­ver nor in gold;

But in a wood­en man­ger

That rest­eth on the mold.

As Jo­seph was a walk­ing

Thus did an an­gel sing;

At night the mo­ther maid­en

Gave birth to Christ our king.

The bless­èd vir­gin wrapped Him

From night­ly winds

so wild;

The low­ly man­ger held Him

Her won­drous ho­ly Child.

And mar­shaled on the mount­ain

The an­gels raise their song;

The shep­herds hear the sto­ry

In an­thems clear and strong.

The her­ald hymn ob­ey­ing

Nor loth

nor yet afraid

They seek the low­ly dwell­ing

And there the Child is laid!

Then be ye glad

good peo­ple

This night of all the year;

And light ye up your can­dles—

His star

it shin­eth near;

And all in earth and Heav­en

Our Christ­mas car­ol sing:

Good will

and peace

and glo­ry!

And all the bells shall ring.