Softly upon Bethlehem’s Plains

Softly up­on Beth­le­hem’s plains

Falls the gen­tle dew of night;

Sweetly so­lemn si­lence reigns—

Earth how calm

and Heav’n how bright!

Every star shines out alone

Looking down from Heav’n to earth;

Beautiful as first they shone

Radiant at cre­ation’s birth.

O’er the slop­ing mount­ain’s side

Clustering flocks of sheep re­pose;

Watchful shep­herds there abide

Feed and guard them from their foes:

There they watch from ev­en­ing’s ray

Sleepless un­til mid­night’s hush;

There in thought­ful mus­ings stay

Till the tears of twi­light gush.

Happy shep­herds! lift your eyes;

Eastward cast your glance afar;

See! what lus­ter gilds the skies

Lit by yon­der sig­nal star!

Slow des­cend­ing from above

See! an an­gel form ap­pears!

God’s own mes­sen­ger of love

Brings glad tid­ings to your ears.

See! he folds his snowy wings;

Heav’n in mer­cy stoops to earth;

Listen to the news he brings

Tidings of Mes­si­ah’s birth!

Shout in tri­umph

earth and Heav’n

Swell the song of sweet ac­cord;

Jesus lives

the Son is giv’n

Bow

and wor­ship Christ the Lord.

Multitudes of an­gels sing

Strains ce­les­ti­al

songs di­vine;

Glory to the new­born King!

Men may now with an­gels join;

Hallelujahs loud and long

Swell upon the shep­herds’ ears

Richer far than mor­tal song

Or the mu­sic of the spheres.

Happy shep­herds! let us go

Unto Beth­le­hem and see

God made ma­ni­fest be­low

Smiling on His mo­ther’s knee.

Babe al­migh­ty! earth’s de­sire!

Heav’n’s an­oint­ed One art Thou;

Men and an­gels

son and sire

Place the crown up­on His brow.