From Oremus Hymnal
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.
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 over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
All 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!
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
Historical Notes
Author
Meter
CMD
Sound files
Other Comments
Sources
Hymnals
| Hymnal
| Number
| Tunes Used
|
| Hymns of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1826
| #
|
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874
| #
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| The Year of Praise, 1867
| #
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| The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868
| #
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| The Sarum Hymnal, 1869
| #
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| The Parish Hymnal, 1870
| #
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| The Church Hymnal (US), 1871-1874
| #
|
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| Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874
| #
|
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924
| #
|
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| A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879
| #
|
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| The Universal Hymn Book, 1885
| #
|
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| The Mission Hymnal, 1885
| #
|
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| The Hymnal Companion, 1890
| #
|
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| The Hymnal Companion, 1890
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Darlington)
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Parker)
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Hutchins)
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Helfenstein)
| #
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| The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Messiter)
| #
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| The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
| #
|
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| The Church Hymnary (Scotland), 1902
| #
|
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| Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903
| #
|
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904
| #
|
|
| The English Hymnal, 1906
| # 26
|
|
| The Book of Common Praise (Canada), 1908
| #
|
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| The Mission Hymnal, 1913
| #
|
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| The Hymnal 1916 (US)
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 1919
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal Revised, 1920 (Hutchins)
| #
|
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| The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925
| #
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| Songs of Praise, 1925
| #
|
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| Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931
| #
|
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| The Book of Common Praise (Canada), 1938
| #
|
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| The Hymnal 1940 (US)
| #
|
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| Christian Worship, 1941
| #
|
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950
| #
|
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| The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 1960
| #
|
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| Anglican Hymn Book, 1965
| #
|
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| The Hymn Book 1971 (Canada)
| #
|
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| The Australian Hymn Book, 1977
| #
|
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| The Hymnal 1982 (US)
| #
|
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| Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983
| #
|
|
| The New English Hymnal, 1985
| # 29
| Noel
|
| Hymns for Today's Church, 1987
| #
|
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| Church Family Worship, 1988
| #
|
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| Hymns Old & New, New Anglican, 1996
| #
|
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| Common Praise (Canada), 1998
| #
|
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| Together in Song (Australia), 1999
| #
|
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| Sing Glory, 1999
| #
|
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| Complete Mission Praise, 2000
| #
|
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| Common Praise, 2000
| #
|
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| Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican, 2000
| #
|
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| Church Hymnal (Ireland), 2000
| #
|
|
| The Church Hymnary, Fourth Edition (Scotland), 2005
| #
|
|
| The Book of Hymns, 2006
| #
|
|
| Zion Still Sings, 2007
| #
|
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