Gloomy Night Embraced the Place

Gloomy night em­braced the place

Wherein the no­ble In­fant lay:

The Babe looked up and showed His face;

In spite of dark­ness

it was day!

It was Thy day

sweet! and did rise

Not from the east

but from Thine eyes.

We saw Thee in Thy bal­my nest

Young dawn of our eter­nal day!

We saw Thine eyes break from the east

And chase the trem­bling shades away;

We saw Thee

and we blessed the sight;

We saw Thee by Thine own sweet light.

Welcome

all won­ders in one sight!

Eternity shut in a span!

Summer in win­ter

day in night!

Heaven on earth

and God in Man!

Great lit­tle One! Whose low­ly birth

Lifts earth to Heav’n

stoops Heav’n to earth.

To Thee

meek Ma­jes­ty! soft King

Of sim­ple grac­es and sweet loves;

Each one of us his lamb will bring

And each his pair of sil­ver doves;

Till burnt in fire of Thy fair eyes

Ourselves be­come our sac­ri­fice!