Christians, awake! salute the happy morn

Christians, awake! salute the happy morn

Author: John Byrom (1749)
Tune: YORKSHIRE
Published in 139 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Sibelius
Audio files: MIDI

Full Text

1 Christians, awake, salute the happy morn
whereon the Savior of the world was born.
Rise to adore the mystery of love
which hosts of angels chanted from above.
With them the joyful tidings were begun
of God incarnate and the virgin's Son.

2 Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
who heard th'angelic herald's voice: "Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Savior's birth
to you and all the nations on the earth.
This day has God fulfilled his promised word:
this day is born a Savior, Christ the Lord!"

3 He spake, and straightway the celestial choir
in hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire;
the praises of redeeming love they sang,
and heav'n's whole orb with alleluias rang;
God's highest glory was their anthem still,
peace on the earth, and unto men good will.

4 To Bethl'hem straight the happy shepherds ran,
to see the wonder God had wrought for man;
and found, with Joseph and the blessed maid,
her son, the Savior, in a manger laid;
amazed, the wondrous story they proclaim,
the earliest heralds of the Savior's name.

5 Let us, like these good shepherds, then employ
our grateful voices to proclaim the joy;
trace we the babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
from his poor manger to his bitter corss;
treading his steps, assisted by his grace,
till man's first heav'nly state again takes place.

6 Then may we hope, th'angelic throngs among,
to sing, redeemed, a glad triumphant song;
he that was born upon this joyful day
around us all his glory shall display;
saved by his love, incessant we shall sing
eternal praise to heav'n's almighty King.

Source: Trinity Hymnal #209

Author: John Byrom

John Byrom was born in 1691, at Manchester, where his father was a linen-draper. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, 1708; became a Fellow of the College in 1714; took his M.A. in 1716, and then proceeded to Montpelier, where he studied medicine. He afterwards abandoned medicine, settled in London, and obtained his living by teaching a system of shorthand, which he had projected. He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1724. He died Sept. 28, 1763. The first edition of Byrom's poems appeared in 1773, in two volumes. A more complete edition was published in 1814. Byrom did not seek publicity as an author, but wrote verses only for recreation. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872… Go to person page >

Text Information

Tune

YORKSHIRE

John Wainwright (b. Stockport, England, 1723; d. Stockport, 1768) wrote YORKSHIRE for this text in 1750. The tune was first sung on Christmas Day, 1750, in the parish church of Stockport; it was first published in Caleb Ashworth's Collection of Tunes (1760) and then in Wainwright's Collection of Psa…

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Timeline

Media

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #350

Instances

Instances (13)TextImageAudioScore
Christmas Favorites #36
Complete Anglican Hymns Old & New #96
Complete Mission Praise #80
Hymnal 1982: according to the use of the Episcopal Church #106TextImage
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard Edition #36
Hymns Old and New: New Anglican #84
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #350TextImageAudioScore
Rejoice in the Lord #197Text
Revival Hymns and Choruses #166
Sing Glory: Hymns, Psalms and Songs for a New Century #347
The Christian Life Hymnal #112
Together in Song: Australian Hymn Book II #306
Trinity Hymnal #209Text