Shining Out of Darkness

Shining out of dark­ness

Came the Christ­mas time

With light sub­lime

with light sub­lime;

Glory-light from Heav­en

Thrilled the sleep­ing earth

The ho­ly night of Je­sus’ birth.

Memories of that glo­ry seem to lin­ger still—

To lin­ger still

o’er vale and hill;

Stars of Christ­mas ev­er seem

More bright

more clear

Than any star through­out the year.

Glory-light came stream­ing

From the court of Heav’n

When Christ—God’s gift to earth—was giv’n;

Shining Christ­mas ta­pers

gleam in ev­ery clime

In me­mo­ry of that light sub­lime.

Shining o’er the man­ger

Where the Christ Child slept

A star most bright its vi­gil kept;

Seen afar

all si­lent­ly it showed the world

The ban­ner fair of love un­furled.

Wondrous star of Beth­le’em town

So large

so bright

O guid­ing light! O guid­ing light!

Lead us all to seek the King of kings to­night;

Thou guid­ing star so bright

so bright!

Shepherds on the hill­side

Heard a migh­ty voice

A voice that bade the world re­joice;

Fear not! rang the mes­sage!

Ring it out again!

The an­gels brought good news to men.

Glory in the high­est! hosts of an­gels sang

Till all the courts of Heav­en rang;

Glory in the high­est! how it ech­oes still

That cra­dle song of Beth­le’em’s hill.