Christmas Song Lyrics

The following lyrics to familiar Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany songs and carols are all in the public domain. These lyrics may be downloaded, copied, or otherwise used in any way without permission or fee. They are provided with the best wishes for a festive holiday season from Discipleship Ministries, P. O. Box 340003, Nashville TN 37203; toll-free telephone (877) 899-2780, ext. 7073.

TITLE	UM HYMNAL NUMBER
Angels from the Realms of Glory	220
Angels We Have Heard on High	238
Auld Lang Syne	-----
Away in a Manger	217
Deck the Halls	-----
First Noel, The	245
Go, Tell It on the Mountain	251
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen	-----
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice	224
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing	240
He Is Born	228
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly	229
In the Bleak Midwinter	221
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear	218
Jingle Bells	-----
Joy to the World	246
O Come, All Ye Faithful	234
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel	211
O Holy Night	-----
O Little Town of Bethlehem	230
Silent Night, Holy Night	239
There's a Song in the Air	249
We Three Kings	254
We Wish You a Merry Christmas	-----
What Child Is This?	219

(Following each title below, the first letter in parenthesis is the song's key. The second letter is the melody's first pitch.)

Angels from the Realms of Glory(Bb/F)

Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o'er
all the earth; ye who sang creation's story, now proclaim
Messiah's birth: Come and worship, come and
worship, worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding, watching o'er your
Flocks by night, God with us is now residing; yonder
Shines the infant light: Come and worship, come and
worship, worship Christ, the newborn King.

Sages, leave your contemplations, brighter visions beam
Afar; seek the great Desire of nations, ye have seen his Natal star: Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

Angels We Have Heard on High(F/A)

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o'er the
Plains, and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous
Strains. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

< Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains
Prolong? What the gladsome tidings be which inspire
your heavenly song? Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in
excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the
Angels sing; come, adore on bended knee, Christ the
Lord, the new born King. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria,
in excelsis Deo!

See him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels
Praise; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while our hearts
In love we raise. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in
excelsis Deo!

Auld Lang Syne(F/C)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o'
kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.<

Away in a Manger(F/C)

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the 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 thee, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children
in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven
to live with thee there.

Deck the Halls(D/A)

Deck the hall with boughs of holly, Fa la la . . .
'Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la . . .
Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la . . .
Troll the ancient yuletide carol, Fa la la . . .

See the blazing yule before us, Fa la la. . .
Strike the harp and join the chorus, Fa la la. . .
Sing we joyous all together, Fa la la. . .
Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la. . .

Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la. . .
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa la la. . .
Follow we in merry measure, Fa la la. . .
While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la. . .

First Noel, The(D/F#)

The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor
shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields where they
lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter's night that
was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King
King of Israel.

They look-ed up and saw a star shining in the east,
beyond them far; and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night. Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star three Wise Men
came from country far; to seek for a king was their
intent, and to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.

This star drew nigh to the northwest, o'er Bethlehem
it took its rest; and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.

Then entered in those Wise Men three, full reverently
upon the knee, and offered there, in his presence,
their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.

Go, Tell It on the Mountain(G/B)<

Refrain: Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and
everywhere; Go, tell it on the mountain, that
Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching o'er silent flocks
by night, behold throughout the heavens there shone
a holy light. Refrain.

The shepherds feared and trembled, when lo! above
the earth, rang out the angel chorus that hailed the
Savior's birth. Refrain.

Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas
morn. Refrain.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen(Dm/D)

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas
Day, To save us all from Satan's power when we were
gone astray. Refrain.

Refrain: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy!

From God, our heavenly Father, a blessed angel
came; And unto certain shepherds brought tidings
of the same: How that in Bethlehem was born the
Son of God by name. Refrain.

"Fear not, then," said the angel, "Let nothing you
affright; This day is born a Savior, of a pure virgin
bright, To free all those who trust in Him from
Satan's power and might." Refrain.

Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now
embrace; This holy tide of Christmas all anger should
efface. Refrain.

Good Christian Friends, Rejoice(F/F)

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul
and voice; give ye heed to what we say: News, news!
Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before him
bow, and he is in the manger now. Christ is born
today, Christ is born today.

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul
and voice; now ye hear of endless bliss: News,
news! Jesus Christ was born for this! He hath opened
heaven's door, and ye are blest forevermore. Christ
was born for this, Christ was born for this.

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul
and voice; now ye need not fear the grave: News,
news! Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one
and calls you all to gain an everlasting hall. Christ
was born to save, Christ was born to save!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing(F/C)

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 the angelic host proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the
everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin??s womb. Veiled in flesh the
Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity, pleased
with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the
Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he
brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he
lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth, born to give us
second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"

He Is Born, the Divine Christ Child(F/C)

Refrain: He is born, the divine Christ Child, play the
oboe and bagpipes merrily! He is born, the divine
Christ Child, sing we all of the Savior mild.

Thru long ages of the past, prophets have foretold
his coming; thru long ages of the past, now the
time has come at last! Refrain.

O how lovely, O how pure is this perfect child of
heaven; O how lovely, O how pure, gracious gift
to humankind! Refrain.

Jesus, Lord of all the world, coming as a child
among us, Jesus, Lord of all the world, grant to
us thy heavenly peace. Refrain.

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly(G/D)

Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the babe is
Lord of all. Swift are winging angels singing,
noels ringing, tidings bringing: Christ the babe
is Lord of all.

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil
till the morning new Saw the glory, heard the
story, tidings of a gospel true. Thus rejoicing,
free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the
morrow: Christ the babe was born for you.

In the Bleak Midwinter(F/A)

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, in the bleak
midwinter, long time ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth
sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when
he comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a
stable place sufficed the Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered
there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a
shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a
Wise Man, I would do my part; yet what I can
I give him: give him my heart.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear(Bb/F)

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 earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-
gracious King." The world in solemn stillness
lay, to hear the angels sing.

Still through 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.

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 weary
road, and hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet
seen of old, when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold when peace shall
over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song which
now the angels sing.

Jingle Bells(G/D)

Dashing through the snow in a one horse open
sleigh, O'er the fields we go laughing all the
way. Bells on bobtail sing making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song
tonight. Refrain.

Refrain: O, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the
way; O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open
sleigh. Jingle bells, jingle, jingle all the way; O
what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Joy to the World(D/D)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth
receive her King; let every heart prepare him
room, and heaven and nature sing . . .

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their
songs employ; while fields and floods, rocks,
hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy . . .

No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns
infest the ground; he comes to make his
blessings flow far as the curse is found . . .

He rules the world with truth and grace, and
makes the nations prove the glories of his
righteousness, and wonders of his love . . .

O Come, All Ye Faithful(G/G)

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. Come
and behold him, born the King of angels;
Refrain.

Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come,
let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory
to God, all glory in the highest. Refrain.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy
morning, Jesus, to thee be all glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
Refrain.

Adeste, fideles, laeti triumphantes; venite,
venite in Bethlehem. Natum videte Regem
angelorum. Venite adoremus, venite
adoremus, venite adoremus, Dominum.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel(Em/E)

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom
captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile
here until the Son of God appear.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall
come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and
order all things far and nigh; to us the path
of knowledge show and cause us in her ways
to go. Refrain.

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our
spirits by thine advent here; disperse the gloomy
clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put
to flight. Refrain.

O come, Desire of nations bind all peoples in
one heart and mind. From dust thou brought us
forth to life; deliver us from earthly strife. Refrain.

O Holy Night(C/E)

O holy night! the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth! Long
lay the world in sin and error pining Till He
appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill
of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder
breaks a new and glorious morn! Refrain.

Refrain: Fall on your knees! O hear the angel
voices! O night divine, O night when Christ
was born. O night divine! O night, O night
divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from out the Orient
land. The King of Kings lay thus in lowly
manger, In all our trials born to be our friend.
Refrain.

Truly He taught us to love one another; His
law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains
shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise
we, Let all within us praise His holy name.
Refrain.

O Little Town of Bethlehem(F/A)

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see
thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets
shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and
fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all
above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love. O morning
stars together, proclaim the holy birth, and
praises sing to God the King, and peace to
all on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift
is given; so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven. No ear may
hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still the
dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us,
we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be
born in us today. We hear the Christmas
angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to
us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

Silent Night(Bb/F)

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant,
so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the
sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly
hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure
light; radiant beams from thy holy face with the
dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy
birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy
light; with the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our
King; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the
Savior is born!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Alles schläft, einsam
wacht nur das traute hoch heilige Paar, Holder
Knabe mit lockigem Haar, schlaf im himmlischer
Ruh, schlaf im himmlischer Ruh.

There's a Song in the Air(G/D)

There's a song in the air! There's a star in the
sky! There's a mother's deep prayer and a baby's
low cry! And the star rains its fire while the
beautiful sing, for the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King!

There's a tumult of joy o'er the wonderful birth,
for the virgin's sweet boy is the Lord of the earth.
Ay! the star rains rains its fire while the beautiful
sing, for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

In the light of that star lie the ages impearled; and
that song from afar has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing in
the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song that
comes down through the night from the heavenly
throng. Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they
bring, and we greet in his cradle our Savior and
King!

We Three Kings(Em/B)

We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we
traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and
mountain, following yonder star. Refrain.

Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with
royal beauty bright, westward leading, still
proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring
to crown him again, King forever, ceasing
never, over us all to reign. Refrain.

Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a
Deity nigh; prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshiping God on high. Refrain.

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life
of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding,
dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Refrain.

Glorious now behold him arise; King and God
and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through
the earth and skies. Refrain.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas(G/D)

We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you
a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry
Christmas, And a happy New Year. Good tidings
we bring to you and your kin; We wish you a Merry
Christmas and a happy New Year.

O, bring us some figgy pudding, O bring us some
figgy pudding, O bring us some figgy pudding, and
bring it right here. We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some, We won't go until
we get some, So bring it right here.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you
a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry
Christmas, And a happy New Year.

What Child Is This?(Em/E)

What child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary's lap
is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems
sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?

Refrain: This, this is Christ the King, whom
shepherds guard and angels sing; haste, haste,
to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and
ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners
here the silent Word is pleading. Refrain.

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, come,
peasant, king, to own him; the King of kings
salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him.
Refrain.

Dean McIntyre ([email protected]) is the music resources director in the Center for Worship Resourcing, Discipleship Ministries.