In this post I will be sharing a list of the best and most beautiful hymns, songs and carols for Advent and Christmas.
Advent and Christmas Songs
The Christmas season is so beautiful. The smells, the lights, the cozy feelings, and of course the sounds of beautiful hymns and Christmas carols.
However, have you ever felt like you are already sick of Christmas music, before it is even Christmas? I mean, one can only listen to “All I Want for Christmas is You” so many times before they feel a little crazy!
Don’t fear, today I am going to explain to you the difference between advent music and Christmas music, and even provide some Spotify playlists that you won’t get sick of well before Christmas Eve.
I’ll also provide some Youtube links so you can listen to the hymns and carols as well as a free printable hymn book so you can print your lyrics and take them caroling!
Jump to the hymn:
- O Come O Come Emmanuel
- O Come Divine Messiah
- The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came/Gabriel’s Message
- People Look East
- Maria Walks Amid the Thorn
- Saviour of the Nations Come
- Rorate Caeli
- Alma Redemptoris Mater
- The First Noel
- Silent Night
- O Holy Night
- In the Bleak Midwinter
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
- Good King Wenceslas
- The Little Drummer Boy
- Coventry Carol
- Once in Royal David’s City
- Creator of the Stars of Night
- Joy to the World
- Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming
- Love Comes Down
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
What is Advent?
Advent is a time of preparation. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means coming, arrival. The season of advent is not only a time to focus on the birth of Jesus, who is the Light of the World, but also on the second coming of Christ. And in a special way, how Jesus wants to be present to us right here and now, in our hearts and in our lives.
During the weeks of Advent, praying with these simple and classic advent hymns can help you make it a season of preparation for the birth of Christ.
Carols and hymns for Advent and Christmas
O Come O Come Emmanuel
This is a perfect hymn for Advent, as it contains all of the O Antiphons (printable here) that are sung in the days leading up to Christmas. It has a beautiful, haunting melody, and complex lyrics that you can meditate on all day.
Listen to O Come O Come Emmanuel here.
O Come O Come Emmanuel Lyrics
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Adonai, Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O Come Divine Messiah
This hymn is perfect for Advent. It was originally translated from the 16th-century French Carol.
Listen to O Come Divine Messiah here.
O Come, Divine Messiah Lyrics
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Sweet Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
O Thou, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Wilt break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Sweet Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Shalt come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will thy cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
Shall we thy Godhead see.
Sweet Saviour haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came, also called Gabriel’s Message
This is one of my favourite Advent songs! It begins with the Annunciation so it is also a good fit for the Feast of the Annunciation. The tune has a very simple and traditional feel, but the lyrics tell a complete scripture story. It is translated from a Basque carol. This is one advent hymn not to miss.
Gabriel’s Message Lyrics
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame:
‘From God, all hail,’ the angel said to Mary,
‘most highly favoured lady!’
Gloria!
‘Fear not, for you shall bear a holy child,
by him shall we to God be reconciled;
his name shall be Emmanuel, the long-foretold:
most highly favoured lady!’
Gloria!
Then gentle Mary humbly bowed her head:
‘To me be as it pleases God,’ she said,
‘My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.’
Most highly favoured lady!
Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel – the Christ – was born
in Bethlehem, upon that Christmas morn.
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say,
‘Most highly favoured lady!
Gloria!’
People Look East
The words and music of People, Look East are by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965), in 1928. This is a very good advent hymn, as it focuses on preparation for Christmas. In fact, it was first published under the title “Carol of Advent.”
People, Look East Lyrics
People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.
Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.
Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.
Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Maria Walks Amid the Thorn
This beautiful hymn is translated from a German Carol. The lyric “kyrie eleison” is Greek for “Lord, have mercy.”
Maria Walks Amid the Thorn Lyrics
Maria walks amid the thorn,
Kyrie eleison.
Maria walks amid the thorn,
Which seven years no leaf has born.
Jesus and Maria.
What ‘neath her heart doth Mary bear?
Kyrie eleison.
A little child doth Mary bear,
Beneath her heart He nestles there.
Jesus and Maria.
And as the two are passing near,
Kyrie eleison,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear.
Jesus and Maria.
Savior of the Nations Come
The lyrics of this hymn were written by St Ambrose and the music arranged by J.S. Bach. There is a chant version as well.
Savior of the Nations Come Lyrics
Savior of the nations, come;
Virgin’s Son, here make Thy home!
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
Not by human flesh and blood;
By the Spirit of our God
Was the Word of God made flesh,
Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.
Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
Of the virgin undefiled!
Though by all the world disowned,
Still to be in heaven enthroned.
From the Father forth He came
And returneth to the same,
Captive leading death and hell
High the song of triumph swell!
Thou, the Father’s only Son,
Hast over sin the victory won.
Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?
Brightly doth Thy manger shine,
Glorious is its light divine.
Let not sin overcloud this light;
Ever be our faith thus bright.
Praise to God the Father sing,
Praise to God the Son, our King,
Praise to God the Spirit be
Ever and eternally.
Rorate Caeli
A traditional Latin hymn. Check out the Gregorian chant with the music notation here.
| Latin | English |
| Rorate Cæli desuper, Et nubes pluant justum. | Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above And let the clouds rain the Just One. |
| Ne irascaris Domine, Ne ultra memineris iniquitatis: Ecce civitas Sancti facta est deserta: Sion deserta facta est: Jerusalem desolata est: Domus sanctificationis tuae Et gloriae tuae, Ubi laudaverunt te patres nostri. Rorate. | Do not be angry, O Lord, Nor remember iniquity forever: Behold the Holy City is made a desert, Zion has been made a desert, Jerusalem is desolate: The house of thy holiness and thy glory, Where our fathers praised thee. Refrain. |
| Peccavimus, et facti sumus Tamquam immundus nos, Et cecidimus quasi folium universi: Et iniquitates nostrae Quasi ventus abstulerunt nos: Abscondisti faciem tuam a nobis, Et allisisti nos In manu iniquitatis nostrae. Rorate. | We have sinned, and we are made Like unto our uncleanness, And we have all fallen like a leaf: And our iniquities Have carried us away like the wind. Thou hast hidden thy face from us And thou hast crushed us In the hand of our iniquity. Rorate. |
| Vide Domine afflictionem populi tui, Et mitte quem missurus es: Emitte Agnum dominatorem terrae, De Petra deserti Ad montem filiae Sion: Ut auferat ipse Jugum captivitatis nostrae. Rorate. | See, O Lord, the suffering of thy people, And send the One who was to be sent: Send forth the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, From the Rock of the desert To the mountain of the daughter of Zion That the same One may carry away The yoke of our captivity. Rorate. |
| Consolamini, consolamini, popule meus: Cito veniet salus tua: Quare maerore consumeris, Quia innovavit te dolor? Salvabo te, noli timere, Ego enim sum Dominus Deus tuus, Sanctus Israel, Redemptor tuus. Rorate. | Be comforted, be comforted, my people: Thy salvation will come quickly: Why art thou consumed with grief, Why is sorrow renewed in thee? I will save thee, be not afraid, For I am the Lord thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer. Rorate. |
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Traditional Latin text arranged by Palestrina. There is a chant version as well.
Alma Redemptoris Mater Lyrics in Latin
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.
Alma Redemptoris Mater Lyrics in English (Mother Benign of Our Redeeming Lord)
Mother of Christ, hear thou thy people’s cry
Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!
Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.
Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:
Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.
The First Noel
This popular carol tells the Christmas story.
The First Noel Lyrics
The First Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Chorus:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked 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.
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.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O’er Bethlehem it took it rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those Wise men three
Full reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Chorus
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Chorus
Silent Night
A classic! Silent Night was originally called Stille Nacht, as it was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to German lyrics by Joseph Mohr.
Silent Night Lyrics
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 Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
O Holy Night
O Holy Night Lyrics
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared
And the soul felt its worth
The thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
And yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine
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
Christ is the Lord
Oh praise His name forever
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine
In the Bleak Midwinter
In the Bleak Midwinter Lyrics
In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone
Snow had fallen
Snow on snow, snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter, long, long ago
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ
Enough for Him whom cherubim
Worship night and day
A breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay
Enough for Him whom angels fall down before
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore
Angels and archangels may have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air
But only His mother 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 give a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
Yet what I can, I give Him
Give my heart
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
This beautiful carol is by Charles Wesley.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing Lyrics
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 angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain:
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 with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hail the heav’nly 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.
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
This song is by Edmund H Sears (1849). The first verse is definitely the most Christmassy. Some of the verses are a bit less festive sounding. According to this source, he was a minister in a Church which does not subscribe to the doctrine of the Trinity, and since this song doesn’t actually mention Jesus Christ, it may not be an ideal one for Holy Mass.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Lyrics
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.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Lyrics
God rest ye, merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
When we were gone astray
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.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
But when to Bethlehem they came,
Whereat this infant lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
This is such a stunningly solemn and beautiful hymn. It is not a song you hear on repeat.
Listen to Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence on Youtube.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Lyrics
Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for, with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow’rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
At His feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, Lord Most High!”
Good King Wenceslas –
John Mason Neale (1853). This hymn is an interesting one for Christmas. Rather than telling the Christmas story, it tells a tale of “King” Wenceslaus and a good deed he does to bring the Christmas spirit to his poor neighbour on the second day of Christmas (St Stephen’s Day, December 26th). “King” Wenceslaus was actually Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935). This is a great carol to sing on St Stephen’s Day. Perhaps it will inspire some charitable works on this day as well!
Listen to Good King Wenceslas on Youtube.
Good King Wenceslas Lyrics
Good King Wenceslas looked out
on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
gath’ring winter fuel.
“Hither, page, and stand by me,
if thou knows 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 cold 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, my good page,
tread now 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.
So good Christian men, be sure,
wealth and rank possessing,
Ye who now wilt bless the poor
shall yourselves find blessing.
The Little Drummer Boy
This is a popular Christmas carol, originally named Carol Of The Drum, that was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941.
The Little Drummer Boy Lyrics
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum,
a new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum.
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum,
to lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
so to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
when we come.
Baby Jesus, pa rum pum pum pum,
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum.
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum,
that’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?
Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum,
the ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum.
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum,
me and my drum.
Coventry Carol
This is a 16th century carol that discusses King Herod’s slaughter of the Innocents. It is traditionally sung on the Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28) also known as Childermas.
Here’s a beautiful choral version of Coventry Carol.
Coventry Carol Lyrics
Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay?”
Herod the king, in his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.
That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and may
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”
Once In Royal David’s City
This carol was originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander and it was later put to music by organist Henry Gauntlett.
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge performing Once in Royal David’s City.
Once In Royal David’s City Lyrics
Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and His shelter was a stable,
and His cradle was a stall:
with the poor, and meek, and lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
through His own redeeming love;
for that Child so dear and gentle
is our Lord in heav’n above,
and He leads His children on
to the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing by,
we shall see Him, but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high;
when like stars His children crowned
all in white shall wait around.
Creator of the Stars of Night
Wow, if you want a big picture of salvation history all wrapped up in a tidy set of verses, this is your hymn! The original author is unknow, possibly St Ambrose. It is a part of the Divine Office and used at Vespers. It was translated to English by J M Neale.
Here is a simple but beautiful version.
Creator of the Stars of Night Lyrics
Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear your servants when they call.
In sorrow at the helpless cry
Of all creation doomed to die,
Did save our lost and guilty race
By healing gifts of heav’nly grace.
When Earth was near its evening hour,
You did, in love’s redeeming pow’r,
Like bridegroom from his chamber, come
Forth from a virgin mother’s womb.
At your great name, exalted now,
All knees in lowly homage bow;
All things in Heav’n and Earth adore
And own you King forevermore.
To you, O Holy One, we pray,
Our Judge in that tremendous day,
Ward off, while yet we dwell below,
The weapons of our crafty foe.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might, and glory be,
From age to age eternally.
Joy to the World
It was written in 1719 by the English minister Isaac Watts and was arranged by Lowell Mason in 1848, to a tune attributed to Handel. Its a classic, and it totally speaks to Christ’s second coming, which I love.
Joy to the World Lyrics
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour 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.
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,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, 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,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming
This hymn is actually a personal favourite of mine. I think I enjoy it because it is used so much less frequently.
Here is a beautiful rendition.
Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming Lyrics
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flower bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half-spent was the night.
Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind:
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright
She bore to men a Saviour
When half-spent was the night.
This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load.
Love Comes Down
This is a beautiful contemporary Christmas song by Matt Maher.
Love Comes Down Lyrics
I’m searching for a king and kingdom
Here among the beggars and the weak
The broken and redeemed
I’m finding grace beyond all measure
In flesh and blood He hides His majesty
Inside of you and me
Why would a King do such a thing?
Isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t it marvelous?
The God of the universe, He became one of us
We cry out and then love comes down again
Faith is found in Him, Hallelujah
Oh, glorious beyond all measure
Bending low to wash His traitor’s feet
People just like me
Why would a king do such a thing?
Isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t it marvelous?
The God of the universe, He became one of us
We cry out and then love comes down again
Hope is found in Him, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
So sing, sing for faith, sing for hope
Sing for what great love has done
What was lost He has found
Shout it out, oh
Isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t it marvelous?
The God of the universe, He became one of us
We cry out and then love comes down again
Glory is found in Him, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, so we’re singing
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
This one for the sopranos! Here’s a gorgeous Advent hymn by none other than Johann Sebastian Bach himself.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Lyrics
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.
Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.
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