God from on High Hath Heard

God from on high hath heard;

Let sighs and sor­rows cease;

Lo! from the op­en­ing Heav’n des­cends

To man the pro­mised Peace.

Hark! through the si­lent night

Angelic voic­es swell;

Their joy­ful songs pro­claim that God

Is born on earth to dwell.

See how the shep­herd band

Speed on with ea­ger feet;

Come to the hal­lowed cave with them

The ho­ly Babe to greet.

But

oh

what sight ap­pears

Within that low­ly door!

A man­ger

stall

and swad­dling clothes

A child and mo­ther poor!

Art Thou the Christ? the Son?

The Fa­ther’s im­age bright?

And see we Him whose arm up­holds

Earth and the star­ry height?

Yea

faith can pierce the cloud

Which veils Thy glo­ry now;

We hail Thee

God

be­fore whose throne

The an­gels pros­trate bow.

A si­lent teach­er

Lord

Thou bidd’st us not re­fuse

To bear what flesh would have us shun

To shun what flesh would choose.

Our sin­ful pride to cure

With that pure love of Thine

O be Thou born with­in our hearts

Most ho­ly Child di­vine.