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The people who in darkness walked
have seen a glorious light;
the heavenly dawn broke forth on those
who dwelt in death and night,
To greet you, Sun of Righteousness,
the gathering nations come,
rejoicing as when reapers bring
their harvest treasures home,
CHORUS:
To us the promised child is born,
to us a son is given;
and on his shoulders ever rests
all power in earth and heaven,
His peace and righteous government
shall over all extend;
on judgment and on justice based,
his reign shall never end.
Bridge:
His name shall be the Prince of Peace
forevermore adored,
the Wonderful, the Counselor,
the Great and Mighty Lord,
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2. |
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God who came to earth this morn,
In a manger lying,
Hallow'd birth by being born,
Vanquish'd death by dying
Vanquish'd death by dying,
Rallied back the flying,
Ended sin and sighing
Alleluia !
When the world drew near its close.
Came our Lord and Leader
From the Lily sprang the Rose,
From the Bush the Cedar
From the Bush the Cedar,
From the judg'd the Pleader,
From the faint the Feeder
Alleluia !
Here is joy for ev'ry age,
Ev'ry generation
Prince and peasant, chief and sage
Ev'ry tongue and nation
Ev'ry tongue and nation,
Ev'ry rank and station,
Hath today salvation
Alleluia!
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3. |
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1. A day, a day of glory
A day that ends our woe
A day that tells of triumph
Against the vanquish'd foe
Yield, summer's brightest sunrise
To this December morn
Lift up your gates, ye Princes
And let the Child be born
2. With Gloria in excelsis
Archangels tell their mirth
With Kyrie eleison
We answer upon earth
And angels swell the triumph
And mortals raise the horn
Lift up you gates, ye Princes
And let the Child be born
3. He comes, His throne the manger
He comes, His shrine the stall
The ox and ass His courtiers
Who made and governs all
The "House of Bread" His birth place
The Prince of wine and corn
Lift up your gates, ye Princes
And let the Child be born
4. Then bar the gates, that henceforth
None thus may passage win
Because the Prince of Israel
Alone hath entered in:
The earth, the sky, the ocean
His glorious way adorn
Lift up your gates, ye Princes
And let the Child be born
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4. |
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There no more parting, no more pain,
The distant ones brought near,
The lost so long are found again,
Long lost but longer dear:
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard
Nor heart conceived that rest,
With them our good things long deferred,
With Jesus Christ our Best.
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We weep because the night is long,
We laugh, for day shall rise,
We sing a slow contented song
And knock at Paradise.
"Watchman, what of the night?" we cry,
Heart-sick with hope deferred:
"No speaking signs are in the sky,"
Is still the watchman's word.
Weeping we hold Him fast Who wept
For us,—we hold Him fast;
And will not let Him go except
He bless us first or last.
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5. |
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6. |
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1. Long in darkness Israel wandered;
Long in mortal shadows, we
Walked in bondage and self-pity,
Trod in paths of sin and grief.
In the prophets’ words He told us,
Long the God of Israel spoke;
He alone in strength would save us
From the hands of all our foes.
Every valley be exalted!
Every mountain be made plane!
Crooked ways repent and straighten;
All creation bend in praise!
2. He shall raise a mighty Savior;
Born of David’s lineage, He
Comes in cov’nant love to claim us
From our sins to set us free.
Light to those who dwell in darkness
Life to those from death who flee
Joy unto the earth, and gladness,
To your pathways dawning peace!
Refrain
3. Jesus, Lord, and mighty Savior,
David’s Son and yet his King,
Dawning light of our salvation,
Of your saving pow’r we sing!
Stand, Oh lame, and dance ye broken,
Know the Savior’s healing grace;
Come, Oh deaf and hear him singing;
Turn, Oh blind, behold his face!
Refrain
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7. |
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Our Lord, from virgin womb He crowns
In majesties of blood, He cries aloud
He breathes his first,
The Everlasting Word.
The virgin veils the great I AM
In raiment for His throne,
The infant rags and manger lay
Are His, and His alone.
That face no prophet ever saw,
The virgin’s eyes arrest;
For God, sustainer of the earth,
Now feeds from woman’s breast
Our Lord, with cracks of breaking bread,
Disturbs the Paschal feast.
He renders each a single piece
“Now take my flesh and eat.”
He grasps the wine with sounds of thanks
From mouth to mouth he leans,
“Now drink my covenantal blood
For you it pours and streams.”
Each mouth enthroned the great I AM,
Each tongue the victim held,
For God, sustainer of the earth,
Now feeds it with himself.
Chorus
O Lamb of God, a hymn we'll sing
A festal ode to our great King
till heaven and earth are filled with saints
in glorious feasting.
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