1 Sweetly chime the merry Christmas bells,
Merry Christmas bells,
Blithe and gay their happy music swells,
Ringing sweet and clear;
How they ring a song of Christmas cheer,
Sounding sweetly in the air:
Ring out the chorus,
The message of Christmas time.
Refrain:
Sweetly chime the merry Christmas bells,
Merry Christmas bells,
Blithe and gay their happy music swells;
Happy music swells;
Gladly ring ye merry, merry bells,
Ring the story ever dear,
Ring out the chorus,
The message of Christmas time.
2 Sweet the tale the blessed angels told
On that happy morn,
How the Lord in Bethlehem of old,
To the earth was born;
Now rejoice, the promised King is here,
Prince of peace indeed is he:
Ring out the chorus,
The message of Christmas time. [Refrain]
3 Brightly shone the star of Bethlehem,
To the sleeping world,
How it led the sages from afar,
To the manger child;
There he lay on humble bed of hay,
He the king of all the earth:
Ring out the chorus,
The message of Christmas time. [Refrain]
Source: The Service of Praise #166