As on the Night Before

As on the night be­fore this hap­py morn

A bless­èd an­gel un­to shep­herds told

Where in a sta­ble He was poor­ly born

Whom nor the earth

Nor Heav’n of Heav’ns can hold.

Thro’ Beth­l’em rang this news at their re­turn;

Yea

an­gels sang that God with us was born;

And they made mirth be­cause we should not mourn

And they made mirth be­cause we should not mourn.

Their ang­el car­ols sing we then;

To God on high all glo­ry be

For peace on earth be­stow­eth He

And show­eth fa­vor unto men.

This fa­vor Christ vouch­saf­èd for our sake;

To buy us thrones

He in a man­ger lay;

Our weak­ness took

that we His strength might take

And was dis­robed

that He might us ar­ray;

Our flesh He wore

our sins to wear away;

Our curse He bore

that we es­cape it may;

And wept for us that we might sing for aye;

And wept for us that we might sing for aye;

With an­gels

there­fore

sing again;

To God on high all glo­ry be

For peace on earth be­stow­eth He

And show­eth fa­vor un­to men.