O little town of
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The
everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met
in thee to-night.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While
mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O
morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises
sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So
God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear
may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls
will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild;
Where
charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark
night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.
O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out
our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the
Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us,
abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!