Texts and Translations
Christmas in the Heart
Linda Spevacek (b. 1945)
It is Christmas in the mansion. Yule log fires and silken frocks.
It is Christmas in the cottage. Mother’s filling little socks.
It is Christmas on the highway, in the thronging busy mart.
Yes it’s Christmas on the highway, but the dearest truest Christmas is the Christmas in the heart.
Sing we all merrily, Christmas is here, the day we love best of all days in the year.
Bring forth the holly, the box and the bay, deck out the cottage for glad Christmas day.
Sing we all merrily, draw ‘round the fire, sister and brother, grandson and sire.
Sussex Carol
arr. Elaine Hagenberg
On Christmas night all Christians sing to hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.
Then why should men on earth be sad, since our Redeemer made us glad.
When from our sin He set us free
All for to gain our liberty.
When sin departs before His grace, then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the newborn King.
All out of darkness we have light, which made the angels sing this night.
Glory to God in highest heaven,
Now and forever more, amen!
Gabriel’s Message
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
The angel Gabriel from heaven came, His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.
“All hail!” said he, “Thou lowly maiden Mary, Most highly favour’d lady.”
Gloria!
“For known a blessed Mother heaven came, All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold. Most highly favour’d lady.”
Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head, “To me be as it as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“My soul shall laud and magnify His Holy name.”
Most highly favour’d lady,
Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ was born, In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say Most highly favour’d lady,
Gloria!
Blessed Mother, gentle Mary,
Gloria!
Dixit Maria
Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
Dixit Maria ad Angelum: Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Mary said to the angel: Behold, I am the handmaid of the lord. Let me it be done to me according to your word.
O Magnum Mysterium
Tomas Luis De Victoria (1548-1611)
O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum,
O great mystery and wonderful sacrament,
Ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
That animals should see the new-born Lord,
Jacentem in praesepio.
Lying in a manger.
O beata Virgo, cujus viscera me ruerunt portare Dominum Jesum Christum.
O blessed Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
O Nata Lux
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)
O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi,
O light born of light, Jesus redeemer of the world,
Dignare clemens supplicum, Laudes preces que sumere.
With loving-kindness deign to receive suppliant praise and prayer.
Qui carne quondam contegi, Dignatus es properditis.
Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh, for the sake of the lost,
Nos membra confer effici, Tui beati corporis.
Grant us to be members of thy blessed body.
O Nata Lux
Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi,
O light born of light, Jesus redeemer of the world,
Dignare clemens supplicum, Laudes preces que sumere.
With loving-kindness deign to receive suppliant praise and prayer.
Qui carne quondam contegi, Dignatus es properditis.
Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh, for the sake of the lost,
Nos membra confer effici, Tui beati corporis.
Grant us to be members of thy blessed body.
Hark! The Herald-Angels sing
F. Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Hark! The herald-angels sing, Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies,
With th’angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald-angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’incarnate deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald-angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, Ris’n with healing in his wings;
Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald-angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.
Good King Wenceslas
arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Good King Wences'las looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel.
"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I shall see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly.
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.
Ding dong! Merrily on High
16th-century French melody
Ding Dong! Merrily on high, in heav'n the bells are ringing.
Ding, dong! Verily the sky, is riv'n with angel singing
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis.
E'en so here below, below, let steeple bells be swung-en
And i-o, i-o, i-o, by priest and people sung-en
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis.
Pray ye dutifully prime your matin chime, ye ringers
May ye beautifully rime your evetime song, ye singers
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis.
Away in a Manger
W.J. Kirkpatrick, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky, and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care, and take us to heaven to live with you there.
Joy to the World
Lowell Mason, arr. John Rutter (b. 1945)
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
Bell Carol
Lyrics by Heather Sorenson and Ukrainian carol, arr. Heather Sorenson
Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding Dong!
Sing we Noel, glad tidings tell, Be of good cheer, Christmas is here.
Sing we Noel, glad tidings tell, Be of good cheer, Christmas is here.
Loudly we’re singing, church bells are ringing, children are singing, “Christmas is here!”
Trumpets are sounding, glad earth resounding, nature is shouting, “Christmas is here!”
Dark has gone away, and the night has turned to day.
Peace has come to earth from a little baby’s birth!
Ah! Gloria, gloria! Peace has come from a little Baby, holy infant, humble, royal birth!
Ding dong! Ding dong!
Star shining bright, gone is the night, hope has appeared, Christmas is here!
Prophets foretold myst’ry now clear, Christmas is here!
Ding dong! Ding dong!
Dark has gone away, night has turned to day.
Peace has come to earth from a little Baby’s birth!
Loudly we’re singing, church bells are ringing, children are singing, “Christmas is here!”
Trumpets are sounding, glad earth resounding, nature is shouting, “Christmas is here!”
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!
Sing we noel, glad tidings tell, be of good cheer, Christmas is here!
Dark has gone away, and the night has turned to day.
Peace has come to earth from a little Baby’s birth!
Sing we Noel, glad tidings tell.
Ding, dong, ding!
See Dat Babe
Christmas Spiritual arr. Stacey V. Gibbs
See dat Babe in de lowly manguh, He gon’ take all my sin away.
He gon’ reign with my God in glory one of dese days, one of dese days.
He was born of de Virgin Mary to bring peace to a weary lan’.
He come down from de God in heaven, oh, behold de Son of Man.
Was no room in de inn, dey tol’ Him, an’ dey sent my Lawd away.
He was wrapped in swaddlin’ clothes an’ He was born in a manguh hay.
See dat Babe, oh, see dat Baby Jesus, See dat Babe, oh, see de King.