115 – Key of E Minor / G Major 120 – Key of G
O come, O come, Emmanuel, There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!
And ransom captive Israel, There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
That mourns in lonely exile here And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
Until the Son of God appear. For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!
Refrain 2 – We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song
Rejoice! Rejoice! That comes down through the night from the heavenly
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. throng.
2 – O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
Who orderest all things mightily; And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go. 121 – Key of F
3 – O come, Desire of nations, bind Refrain
In one the hearts of all mankind; Go, tell it on the mountain,
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, Refrain – Over the hills and everywhere
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Go, tell it on the mountain, That Jesus Christ is born.
1 – While shepherds kept their watching
118 – Key of C Over silent flocks by night
The first Noel the angel did say Behold throughout the heavens
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; There shone a holy light.
In fields where they lay tending their sheep, 2 – The shepherds feared and trembled
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. When lo! Above the earth
Refrain Rang out the angel Refrain
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, That hailed our Savior’s birth
Born is the King of Israel. 3 – Down in a lowly manger
2 – Then entered in those Wise Men three, The humble Christ was born
Full reverently upon the knee, And brought us God’s salvation
And offered there, in His presence, That blessed Christmas morn
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense
122 – Key of F
119 – Key of B♭ Hark! The herald angels sing,
Angels from the realms of glory, “Glory to the newborn King;
Wing your flight o’er all the earth; Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
Ye who sang creation’s story God and sinners reconciled!”
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth. Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Refrain Join the triumph of the skies;
Come and worship, come and worship, With th’angelic host proclaim,
Worship Christ, the newborn King. “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
2 – Shepherds, in the field abiding, Refrain
Watching o’er your flocks by night, Hark! the herald angels sing,
God with us is now residing; “Glory to the newborn King!”
Yonder shines the infant light: 2 – Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
3 – Sages, leave your contemplations, Christ the everlasting Lord;
Brighter visions beam afar; Late in time, behold Him come,
Seek the great Desire of nations; Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Ye have seen His natal star. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
4 – Saints, before the altar bending, Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Watching long in hope and fear; Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Suddenly the Lord, descending, Jesus our Emmanuel.
In His temple shall appear. 3 – Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, (continued)
Ris’n with healing in His wings. And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Mild He lays His glory by, 2 – Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Born that man no more may die. Let men their songs employ;
Born to raise the sons of earth, While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Born to give them second birth. Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
123 – Key of G Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
As With Gladness men of old 3 – No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Did the guiding star behold Nor thorns infest the ground;
As with joy they hailed its light He comes to make His blessings flow
Leading onward, beaming bright Far as the curse is found,
So, most glorious Lord, may we Far as the curse is found,
Evermore be led to Thee. Far as, far as, the curse is found.
2 – As with joyful steps they sped 4 – He rules the world with truth and grace,
To that lowly manger bed And makes the nations prove
There to bend the knee before The glories of His righteousness,
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore; And wonders of His love,
So may we with willing feet And wonders of His love,
Ever seek Thy mercy seat. And wonders, wonders, of His love.
3 – As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare; 127 – Key of F
So may we with holy joy, Infant holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall;
Pure and free from sin’s alloy, Oxen lowing, little knowing,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King. Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings
4 - Holy Jesus, every day bringing: Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Keep us in the narrow way; 2 – Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till
And, when earthly things are past, the morning new
Bring our ransomed souls at last Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a Gospel true.
Where they need no star to guide, Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet
Where no clouds Thy glory hide. the morrow:
Christ the Babe was born for you.
124 – Key of F (either tune)
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, 130 Key of A♭
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, That glorious song of old,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. From angels bending near the earth,
2 – The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, To touch their harps of gold:
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes; "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky From heavens all gracious King!"
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. The world in solemn stillness lay
3 – Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay To hear the angels sing.
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray; 2 – Still through the cloven skies they come,
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, With peaceful wings unfurled;
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there. And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
125 – Key of C Above its sad and lowly plains
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! They bend on hovering wing,
Let earth receive her King; And ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing.
Let every heart prepare Him room, 3 – O ye beneath life's crushing load,
And Heaven and nature sing, Whose forms are bending low,
And Heaven and nature sing, Who toil along the climbing way (continued)
With painful steps and slow; O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
Look now, for glad and golden hours And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on
Come swiftly on the wing; earth!
Oh rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing. 3 – How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is
4 – For lo! the days are hastening on, giv’n;
By prophets seen of old, So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His
When with the ever-circling years Heav’n.
Shall come the time foretold, No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
When the new heaven and earth shall own Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ
The Prince of Peace, their King, enters in.
And the whole world send back the song 4 – O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Which now the angels sing. Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
132 – Key of G O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. 136 – Key of F
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels; We three kings of Orient Are
Refrain O come, let us adore Him, Bearing gifts we traverse afar
O come, let us adore Him, Field and fountain, moor and mountain
O come, let us adore Him, Following yonder star.
Christ the Lord. Refrain – O star of wonder, star of light
2 – Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; Star with royal beauty bright
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Westward leading, still proceeding
Glory to God, all glory in the highest; Guide us to thy perfect light.
3 – Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; 2 – Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given; Gold I bring to crown Him again
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
133 – Key of F 3 – Frankincense to offer have I
Refrain – Now is Born the Divine Christ Child Incense owns a Deity nigh
Play the musette, play the tuneful oboe, Prayer and praising, voices raising
Now is born the divine Christ child, Worshipping God on high.
Sing we all and rejoice this day. 4 – Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
1 – He was born in a stable bare Breathes a life of gathering gloom
On a bed of straw how he sleeps so soundly, Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
He was born in a stable bard, Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Let us worship and to him bow 5 – Glorious now behold Him arise
2 – Ages long since are past and gone King and God and sacrifice
When the wise men foretold His coming Alleluia, Alleluia
Ages long since are past and gone Sounds through the earth and skies.
When the wise men foretold His birth
139 – Key of F While Shepherds
135 – Key of F Watched Their Flocks By Night
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! All seated on the ground
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go The angel of the Lord came down
by. And glory shone around.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light; 2 – "Fear not!" said he, for mighty dread
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee Had seized their troubled mind
tonight. "Glad tidings of great joy I bring
2 – For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above, To you and all mankind
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of To you and all mankind." (continued)
wondering love.
3 – "To you, in David's town, this day Him whose birth the angels sing
Is born of David's line Come, adore on bended knee
A Savior, who is Christ the Lord Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.
And this shall be the sign Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
And this shall be the sign." Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
4 – "The heavenly Babe you there shall find 4 – See him in a manger laid
To human view displayed Whom the angels praise above
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
And in a manger laid While we raise our hearts in love.
And in a manger laid." Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
5 – Thus spake the seraph and forthwith Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God on high 143 – Key of B♭
Who thus addressed their song Silent Night, Holy Night All is calm, all is bright
Who thus addressed their song: Round yon virgin mother and Child.
6 – "All glory be to God on high Holy Infant, so tender and mild
And to the Earth be peace Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace.
Good will henceforth from Heaven to men 2 – Silent night, holy night
Begin and never cease Begin and never cease! Darkness flies, all is light
Shepherds hear the angels sing
141 – Key of G “Alleluia! Hail the king!”
What Child is This who, laid to rest Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born!
On Mary's lap is sleeping? 3 – Silent night, holy night
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet Son of God, love's pure light
While shepherds watch are keeping? Radiant beams from Thy holy face
Refrain – This, this is Christ the King With the dawn of redeeming grace
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Haste, haste, to bring him laud 4 – Silent night, holy night
The Babe, the Son of Mary. Wondrous star, lend thy light
2 – Why lies he in such mean estate With the angels let us sing
Where ox and ass are feeding? Alleluia to our King
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born!
The silent Word is pleading.
3 – So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
142 – Key of F
Angels We Have Heard on High
Singing sweetly through the night
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
2 – Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer? Compiled by John Beckett
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear? Page numbers from the
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
3 – Come to Bethlehem and see