Over Hills and Over Plains

Over hills and ov­er plains

Ring a thou­sand bells

Each the same great truth pro­claims

Each the sto­ry tells;

Old

old sto­ry

ev­er new

Wondrous sto­ry

ev­er true.

Old

old sto­ry

ev­er new

Wondrous sto­ry

ev­er true.

Shepherds watch­ing once by night

Watching long ago

Heard a ser­aph choir bright

Murmur soft and low—

Goodwill and love

love and good­will.

Then an­gels spoke

and all was still

Very hum­bly

in a man­ger—

Holy stars in sight—

Lowly lies a lit­tle strang­er

Messenger of light.

He

the pro­mis­èd of old

He

the Sav­ior long fore­told.

Haste ye

shep­herds

see the won­der

Fear not mock or scorn;

Mark how in proud Da­vid’s ci­ty

Christ your Lord is born.

His great mis­sion nev­er shall cease

Till the world be filled with peace.

Sound the truth o’er all the na­tions

Wide your joy­bells fling;

Christ has lived—our great ex­am­plar

Brother

Lord

and king.

Sound Christ­mas

ye seem to say

God’s peace be un­to all this day!