Christ in Song ‎#390

390. That Song of Old

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 heav'n's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

2 Still thro' the open skies they come,
With peaceful wing unfurled;
And still their heav'nly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov'ring wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

3 But 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 cease, ye mortals, cease your strife,
And hear the angels sing!

Text Information

• First Line: It came upon the midnight clear
• Title: That Song of Old
• Author: E. H. Sears
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1908
• Topic: Special Occasions: Christmas
• Notes: Now Public Domain.

Tune Information

• Name: CAROL
• Composer: R. S. Willis
• Meter: C. M. D.
• Key: B♭ Major
• Notes: Now Public Domain.