There Came a Message from the Sky

There came a mes­sage from the sky:

God has the earth be­friend­ed;

His Son who dwells in Heav­en high

By an­gel hosts at­tend­ed

Will now your flesh and blood put on

As Da­vid’s Son;

Your wretch­ed state is ended.

It first to Na­za­reth did come

By Ga­bri­el ex­pound­ed;

To Mary

in her hum­ble home

So won­der­ful it sound­ed:

“O Ma­ry

hail

thou shalt not fear

The Lord is near

To thee hath grace abound­ed!

“Thou shalt a son con­ceive and bear

Who is the Prince of Heav­en

Who shall to Da­vid’s throne be heir

And Ja­cob’s house be giv­en;

He shall ex­tend to ev­ery race

His reign of grace

His king­dom

like a leav­en.

The Ho­ly Spir­it shall to thee

His bound­less power ren­der

Abundant shall the mer­cy be

From Him

thy strong de­fend­er;

This child is there­fore from above

Whom thou shalt love

As mo­ther kind and tender.

Come

Christ­mas-Child

and be my guest

Give me Thy Ho­ly Spir­it;

Prepare my heart and make it blest

Forever through Thy mer­it

That I at last may dwell with Thee

Thy king­dom see

And all its gifts in­her­it.