All Believer Hymn Book

Hymn 486 IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR Lyrics

1. It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the carth, goodwill to men,
from heaven’s gracious King:
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

2. Still thro’ the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music
floats o’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
they bend on hovering wing.
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.

3. And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing
way with painful steps and slow,
Look now! For glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the wear road,
and hear the angels sing.

4. For lo, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
comes round the age of gold,
When peace shall over all
the earth its ancient splendors fling.
And the whole world gives back the song
which now the angels sing.