Christmas Carol

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On the birthday of the Lord

Translator: Richard Frederick Littledale
Tune: [On the birthday of the Lord] (Dykes)
Published in 9 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. On the birthday of the Lord,
Angel choirs, with one accord,
Joyous chant before the throne:
Glory be to God alone!

Refrain
Lo! A virgin bore the Son,
Christ she bore, the Holy One,
Virgin ever undefiled.

2. Born is our Emmanuel,
Gabriel did the wonder tell;
Prophet eyes afar adored
Him, the sole-begotten Word. [Refrain]

3. Seraphs bring the gladsome tale,
Shepherds sing o’er hill and vale
Of the blessèd Savior’s birth,
Sweetest news for all the earth. [Refrain]

4. Hail the day, the happy morn;
Hail the Child of Mary born;
Born of God’s o’ershadowing might,
God of God, and Light of Light. [Refrain]

5. See! the wise their gifts unfold,
Incense, myrrh and royal gold;
Kneeling to th’eternal King,
Glory to our God they sing. [Refrain]

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #4688

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Translator: Richard Frederick Littledale

Richard Frederick Littledale (b. Dublin, 1833; d. London, 1890) entered Trinity College, Dublin, as a foundation scholar, graduated with a bachelors degree in classics, a Masters of Divinity in 1858, then a Bachelors and Doctorate in Civil Law at Oxford in 1862. From 1856 to 1857 he was the curate of St. Matthew in Thorpe Hamlet, Norfolk, and from 1857 to 1861 was the curate of St. Mary the Virgin, in Soho, London. For the remainder of his life he suffered from chronic illness and spent most of his time writing. He authored many books and pamphlets on Anglican liturgy, theology, and the church’s engagement with society, and completed his good friend John Mason Neale’s work on the psalms after Neale died in 1866. Laura de Jong… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	On the birthday of the Lord
Title:	Christmas Carol
Translator:	Richard Frederick Littledale
Source:	Latin
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Christ is born of maiden fair
Copyright:	Public Domain