Poems (Holmes)/Christmas

For works with similar titles, see Christmas.

Christmas.

Night's curtain o'er the earth was hung,
Spangled with stars that brightly gleamed,
While o'er blest Judah's ancient plains
The queen of night in splendor beamed.

When lo, to shepherds watching there,
Appeared an angel robed in white,
Pointing to one bright, new-born star,
Which rose o'er Bethlehem that night.

And God's bright glory shone around,
Which filled their hearts with awe and fear,
While he in sweetest accents told
That Israel's promised King was near.

Fear not, that shining angel said,
But oh, rejoice with holy mirth,
For I the wished-for tidings bring
Of the Messiah's promised birth.

Of David's royal house and line
There's born in Bethlehem a King,
Who to all nations of the earth
Doth great and sure deliverance bring.

Go, see yourselves the Heavenly Prince,
Whom in a manger ye will find;
For meek and low doth He descend
To be the Saviour of mankind.

Then to heaven's arch that angel swift
On pure celestial wings did fly,
And shining hosts of seraphs bright
With hallelujahs filled the sky.

Glory, glory to God on high!
In strains of harmony they sung;
Peace henceforth from Heaven to men,
Through celestial arches rung.

Oh, like the seraph hosts, let us
Hail with glad sounds of holy mirth,
The morn which saw in Bethlehem
Our great Redeemer's hallowed birth.