Christ My Song - 1005
Calm was the hallowed night! - A Christmas Hymn
(Charlotte Elliott/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
A Christmas Hymn.
1. Calm was the hallowed night!
Valley and mountain height
slumbered in shade;
roofed by heaven's azure fair,
making their flocks their care,
shepherds, in open air,
tranquilly stayed. PDF - Midi
2. Suddenly round them shone,
dazzling to look upon,
splendours of light;
then drew an angel near,
and, to allay their fear,
poured on their ravished ear
words of delight!
3. Ne'er, since the world began,
music so sweet to man
sounded abroad;
on that auspicious morn,
changing our state forlorn,
Christ as a babe was born,
Jesus the Lord!
4. Well might the tidings told
waken your harps of gold,
chorus unseen!
Sweet rang your minstrelsy,
"Glory to God on high!"
"Peace on earth," amnesty,
"good will towards men!"
5. Well might the shepherds haste,
ere yet the night was past,
that thing to see;
where light the meteor shed
well might the Magi tread,
joyful, the path that led,
Saviour, to thee!
6. Infant of Bethlehem!
Now do I seek, like them,
thy mean abode;
there in thy strange disguise
thee do I recognize,
Maker of earth and skies,
Almighty God!
7. Mysteries so deep deter
nature's proud reasoner,
scorning God's word:
thee, whom the Father seals,
he to thy seed reveals;
each to his mandate kneels –
"Thus saith the Lord."
8. "Wonderful, Counsellor!"
thee whom the Virgin bore,
thee I receive;
God ere the world began,
perfect God, perfect man –
mystery too deep to scan –
this I believe.
9. Lo, at thy feet I lay,
giving myself away,
all that is mine;
treasures I none unfold,
frankincense, myrrh, or gold,
one sinful heart behold,
take it for thine.
10, Father! thy love I bless,
who in our deep distress
gavest thy Son!
Saviour! I thee adore,
Spirit! thine unction pour;
thee I praise evermore,
great three in One!
Charlotte Elliott, Selections from the Poems of Charlotte Elliott, 87-89.
There 8,4 reads: God e'er the world began.