1. Away dark thoughts, awake, my joy;
Awake, my glory sing:
Sing songs to celebrate the birth,
Of Jacob's God and King.
2 O happy night, that brought forth light,
Which makes the blind to see!
The day spring from on high came down,
To cheer the visit thee.
3 The wakeful shepherds, near their flocks,
Were watchful for the morn;
But better news from heaven was brought,
"Your Savior Christ is born."
4 "In Bethlehem town the the infant lies,
Within a place obscure."
O little Bethlehem poor in walls,
But rich in furniture!
5 Since heaven is now come down to earth,
Hither the angels fly!
Hark, now the heavenly choir doth sing,
Glory to God on high!
6 The news is spread, the church is glad,
Simeon o'ercome with joy,
Sings with the infant in his arms,
Now let thy servant die.
7 Wise men from far beheld the star,
Which was their faithful guide,
Until it pointed for the babe,
And him they glorified;
8 While heaven and earth rejoice and sing,
Shall we our Christ deny?
He's born for us, and we for him;
Glory to God on high!
The Christian's duty, exhibited in a series of hymns, 1791
Mason, John. The known facts of his life are scanty. He was the son of a Dissenting Minister, and the grandfather of John Mason, the author of A Treatise on Self-Knowledge. He was educated at Strixton School, Northants, and Clare Hall, Cambridge. After taking his M.A., he became Curate of Isham; and in 1668, Vicar of Stantonbury, Bucks. A little more than five years afterwards he was appointed Rector of Water-Stratford. Here he composed the volume containing The Songs of Praise, his paraphrase of The Song of Solomon, and the Poem on Dives and Lazarus, with which Shepherd's Penitential Cries was afterwards bound up. This volume passed through twenty editions. Besides the Songs of Praise, it contains six Penitential Cries by Mason, and it i… Go to person page >
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