Youth Melodies and Action Songs ‎#56

56. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

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.

2 Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings 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 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 men, at war with men, hear not
The love song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!

4 For lo! the days are hast'ning on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold;
When the whole heav'n and earth shall won
The Prince of Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Text Information

• First Line: It came upon the midnight clear
• Title: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
• Author: E. H. Sears
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1952

Tune Information

• Name: CAROL
• Composer: R. Storrs Willis
• Incipit: 53221 65655 67112
• Key: B♭ Major