O now depart, from every heart

1 O now depart,
From every heart,
All thought of pain and care and sorrowful fear!
The merry chime
Of Christmas time,
Shall ring in every heart with gladdening cheer.
We sing the blessed day,
The blessed day,
When Jesus came, a child of God;
He came the world to bless,
The world to bless,
And spread the light of love abroad.
O now depart,
From every heart,
All thought of pain and care and sorrowful fear!
The mercy chime
Of Christmas time,
Shall ring in every heart with gladdening cheer.

2 The nations throng
With festive song,
To hail the coming of the beautiful child;
And on his birth
Upon the earth,
All nature thankful looked to God and smiled
'Tis said the world around,
The world around,
No war defiled that holy night;
But all was peace,
Was smiling peace,
In us foretelling love and light.
O now depart,
From every heart,
All thought of pain and care and sorrowful fear!
The mercy chime
Of Christmas time,
Shall ring in every heart with gladdening cheer.

3 And Jesus' word
Shall yet be heard,
And every soul shall thrill with holiest love!
On hill and plain
He talked with men,
And glad "good news" he told from heaven above.
He was a man of grief,
A man of grief,
He had not where to lay his head,
But though alone and poor,
Alone and poor,
Pure riches over earth he spread
O now depart,
From every heart,
All thought of pain and care and sorrowful fear!
The mercy chime
Of Christmas time,
Shall ring in every heart with gladdening cheer.

4 O we will sing!
Our voices ring
With notes of gladdest, sweetest, merriest song!
The poor and sad
To-day are glad,
For Jesus doth to all the world belong
And deep within the heart,
Within the heart,
We'll cherish all his words of truth,
That we the world may bless,
The world may bless,
And crown with noble age our youth.
O now depart,
From every heart,
All thought of pain and care and sorrowful fear!
The mercy chime
Of Christmas time,
Shall ring in every heart with gladdening cheer.


Source: The Morning Stars Sang Together: a book of religious songs for Sunday schools and the home circle #72