It Came upon the Midnight Clear

Verse 1

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.

Verse 2

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.

Verse 3

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!

Verse 4

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.