Christians, Awake, Salute the Happy Morn

Christians

awake

sa­lute the hap­py morn

Whereon the Sav­ior of the world was born.

Rise to adore the mys­te­ry of love

Which hosts of ang­els chant­ed from above

With them the joy­ful tid­ings first be­gun

Of God in­car­nate and the vir­gin’s son.

Then to the watch­ful shep­herds it was told

Who heard th’an­gel­ic her­ald’s voice

Be­hold

I bring good tid­ings of a Sav­ior’s birth

To you and all the na­tions of the earth;

This day hath God ful­filled His pro­mised Word;

This day is born a Sav­ior

Christ the Lord.

He spoke; and straight­away the ce­les­ti­al choir

In hymns of joy

un­known be­fore

con­spire;

The prais­es of re­deem­ing love they sang

And Heav’n’s whole orb with al­le­lu­ias rang.

God’s high­est glo­ry was their an­them still

Peace on the earth and un­to men good will.

To Beth­l’hem straight th’en­light­ened shep­herds ran

To see the won­der God had wrought for man

And found

with Jo­seph and the bless­èd maid

Her son

the Sav­ior

in a man­ger laid;

Then to their flocks

still prais­ing God

re­turn

And their glad hearts with ho­ly rap­ture burn.

Like Ma­ry let us pon­der in our mind

God’s won­drous love in sav­ing lost man­kind!

Trace we the Babe

who hath re­trieved our loss

From His poor man­ger to His bit­ter cross

Tread in His steps

as­sist­ed by His grace

Till man’s first heav’n­ly state again takes place.

Then may we hope

th’an­gel­ic hosts among

To sing

re­deemed

a glad tri­um­phal song.

He that was born up­on this joy­ful day

Around us all His glo­ry shall dis­play.

Saved by His love

in­ces­sant­ly we sing

Eternal praise to Heav’n’s al­migh­ty king.