O Dark Was the Night

O dark was the night and cold blew the wind

But Jo­seph and Ma­ry no shel­ter could find;

In all the fair ci­ty of Beth­le­hem

In cot­tage or inn was no room for them!

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

But in a poor sta­ble their couch was made

And low in a man­ger the Babe was laid.

O fair was the Child

the mo­ther how fair!

But on­ly the ox­en stood wait­ing there!

But out on the hills was a won­drous light

And heav­en­ly mu­sic en­tranced the night;

And beasts of the field were roused in their lair

By the sound of voic­es and harps in the air.

And shep­herds awatch­ing their flocks by night

Espied in the heav­ens a mar­vel­ous sight;

Of an­gels and spir­its a migh­ty throng.

For joy and great glad­ness sing­ing this song:

O come then

ye faith­ful

ye men of good will

Let joy and thanks­giv­ing ev­ery heart fill;

Tell out the glad tid­ings that Je­sus has come

To op­en the way to the heav­en­ly home.