O Come, Little Children

Representative Text

1 O come, little children, O come, one and all,
O come to the manger in Bethlehem’s stall
And see what the Father in heaven so true
Has done to prepare a bright Christmas for you.

2 Behold, in the manger, that strange little bed,
A Child, sweet and gentle, is resting His head,
A Babe, clad in garments so pure and so white,
And fairer by far than the angels of light.

3 On hay and on straw in the manger He lies;
Both Mary and Joseph, with fond, loving eyes,
Are gazing upon Him, and shepherds draw near,
And jubilant angels from heaven appear.

4 O kneel with the shepherds in worshipful prayer
And join the dear angels who also are there;
Sing glory to God in the heavens above
And thank Him for Jesus, the gift of His love.

5 O dearest, O sweetest, O wonderful Child,
So pure and so holy, so good and so mild;
For us poor and weak in the manger hast lain,
For us like an innocent lamb Thou wast slain.

6 Receive then our hearts, which we offer to Thee,
And keep them from sin and from wickedness free;
O render them holy and blessed like Thine,
Thou Son of the Highest, Thou Infant divine.

Source: American Lutheran Hymnal #615

Author: Christoph von Schmid

Johann Christoph von Schmidt DT Germany 1768-1854. Born at Dinkelsbuhl, Bavaria, Germany, the oldest of nine children and son of a civil servant who worked for the Teutonic Order, he received private lessons in the monastery and attended Catholic Latin school for two years, then attended the Dillingen high school, afterward tutoring for a wealthy family. He enrolled in the Episcopal University in Dillingen and studied philosphy for two years, then theology for four years. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1791. He served as parish vicar in Nassenbeuren, then chaplain at Seeg. In 1796, when he was placed as the head of a large school in Thannhausen, where he taught for many years. From 1816-1826 he was parish priest at Obersta… Go to person page >

Translator: Herman H. Brueckner

Born: March 11, 1866, Grundy County, Iowa (birth name: Herman Heinrich Moritz Brueckner). Died: January 25, 1942, Hebron, Nebraska (funeral held in Beatrice, Nebraska). Buried: St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Waverly, Iowa. After ordination in 1888, Brueckner pastored in Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. He later moved to Iowa City, Iowa, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State University in 1917. In 1926, he joined the faculty of Hebron College in Nebraska. In 1938, Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on him. He retired as professor emeritus from Hebron College in 1941. Sources: Erickson, p. 254 Findagrave, accessed 14 Nov 2016 Hustad, p. 213 Stulken, p.… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O come, little children, O come, one and all (Brueckner)
Title: O Come, Little Children
German Title: Ihr Kinderlein, kommet, o kommet doch all!
Author: Christoph von Schmid
Translator: Herman H. Brueckner (1916)
Meter: 11.11.11.11
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 3 of 3)

Christmas Favorites #9

Ambassador Hymnal #334

The Christian Life Hymnal #103

Include 19 pre-1979 instances
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