Christmas Carols

Christmas Carols
from
Christ-Centered Christmas
By Hal & Melanie Young
[Link]/shop

3 We Three Kings
4 Hark the Herald Angels Sing
5 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
6 Angels From the Realms of Glory
7 O Little Town of Bethlehem
8 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
9 Good Christian Men Rejoice
10 Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
11 O Come All Ye Faithful
12 Joy to the World
13 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
14 Silent Night
15 Away in the Manger
16 The First Noel
17 Angels We Have Heard on High
18 O Holy Night
19 What Child is This?
20 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

©2010 Hal & Melanie Young. Terms of use on page 19.

[Link] 2 Christ-Centered Christmas

 We Three Kings
If you only sing the first verse and refrain you miss the awesome message that Christ
came to die for us! It was written by John H. Hopkins, Jr. for a Christmas pageant
at General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1857.

We three kings of Orient are; O star of wonder, star of light,

Bearing gifts we traverse afar, Star with royal beauty bright,
Field and fountain, moor and Westward leading, still proceeding,
mountain, Guide us to thy perfect light.
Following yonder star.
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
O star of wonder, star of light, Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Star with royal beauty bright, Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Westward leading, still proceeding, Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Guide us to thy perfect light.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain Star with royal beauty bright,
Gold I bring to crown Him again, Westward leading, still proceeding,
King forever, ceasing never, Guide us to thy perfect light.
Over us all to reign.
Glorious now behold Him arise;
O star of wonder, star of light, King and God and sacrifice;
Star with royal beauty bright, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Westward leading, still proceeding, Sounds through the earth and skies.
Guide us to thy perfect light.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Frankincense to offer have I; Star with royal beauty bright,
Incense owns a Deity nigh; Westward leading, still proceeding,
Prayer and praising, voices raising, Guide us to thy perfect light.
Worshipping God on high.

[Link] 3 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

This lovely hymn by Charles Wesley is more full of truth than many sermons and
can imprint these precious truths on our hearts.
Felix Mendelssohn composed the melody in his cantata celebrating the 400th
anniversary of Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press.

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King; Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
God and sinners reconciled!” Light and life to all He brings,
Joyful, all ye nations rise, Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Join the triumph of the skies; Mild He lays His glory by,
With th’angelic host proclaim, Born that man no more may die.
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing, Refrain
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored; Fix in us Thy humble home;
Christ the everlasting Lord; Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Late in time, behold Him come, Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Stamp Thine image in its place:
Hail th’incarnate Deity, Second Adam from above,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Reinstate us in Thy love.
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Refrain
Refrain

[Link] 4 Christ-Centered Christmas

 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Every verse of this song comes from the precious prophecies of the Messiah. The
words are some 700 years old, the music 500 years old. We like to sing at least the
last refrain, “Emmanuel has come to thee, O Israel.”

O come, O come, Emmanuel, O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And ransom captive Israel, And open wide our heavenly home;
That mourns in lonely exile here Make safe the way that leads on high,
Until the Son of God appear. And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who orderest all things mightily; Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
To us the path of knowledge show, In ancient times once gave the law
And teach us in her ways to go. In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny; An ensign of Thy people be;
From depths of hell Thy people save, Before Thee rulers silent fall;
And give them victory over the grave. All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and O come, Desire of nations, bind

cheer In one the hearts of all mankind;
Our spirits by Thine advent here; Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And be Thyself our King of Peace.
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

[Link] 5 Christ-Centered Christmas

Angels from the Realms of Glory

The whole Christmas story in a song!

Angels from the realms of glory, Suddenly the Lord, descending,

Wing your flight o’er all the earth; In His temple shall appear.
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth. Refrain

Refrain Sinners, wrung with true repentance,

Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Come and worship, come and Justice now revokes the sentence,
worship, Mercy calls you; break your chains.
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
Refrain
Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night, Though an Infant now we view Him,
God with us is now residing; He shall fill His Father’s throne,
Yonder shines the infant light: Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:
Refrain
Refrain
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar; All creation, join in praising
Seek the great Desire of nations; God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Ye have seen His natal star. Evermore your voices raising
To th’eternal Three in One.
Refrain
Refrain
Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;

[Link] 6 Christ-Centered Christmas

 O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

[Link] 7 Christ-Centered Christmas

 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let The shepherds at those tidings rejoiced
nothing you dismay, much in mind,
Remember Christ our Savior was born And left their flocks a-feeding in
on Christmas Day; tempest, storm and wind,
To save us all from Satan’s power when And went to Bethl’em straightaway this
we were gone astray. blessèd Babe to find.

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort Refrain

and joy; O tidings of comfort and joy.
But when to Bethlehem they came where
In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessèd Babe our dear Savior lay,
was born, They found Him in a manger where oxen
And laid within a manger upon this feed on hay;
blessèd morn; His mother Mary kneeling unto the Lord
The which His mother Mary did nothing did pray.
take in scorn.
Refrain
Refrain
Now to the Lord sing praises all you
From God our heavenly Father a blessèd within this place,
angel came; And with true love and brotherhood each
And unto certain shepherds brought other now embrace;
tidings of the same; This holy tide of Christmas all others
How that in Bethlehem was born the Son doth deface.
of God by name.
Refrain
Refrain
God bless the ruler of this house, and
“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let send him long to reign,
nothing you afright And many a merry Christmas may live to
This day is born a Savior of a pure see again;
Virgin bright, Among your friends and kindred that live
To free all those who trust in Him from both far and near—
Satan’s power and might.”
That God send you a happy new year,
Refrain happy new year, And God send you a
happy new year.

[Link] 8 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Good Christian Men Rejoice
The words and music of this carol date back to the 1300s!

Good Christian men, rejoice with heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow; and He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss: Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened the heavenly door, and man is blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave: Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!

[Link] 9 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
This carol helps us to understand just what the Lord did for us.

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, When Thou camest to earth for
me; But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room For Thy holy nativity.

Refrain
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang, Proclaiming Thy royal degree; But of
lowly birth didst Thou come to earth, And in great humility.

Refrain

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest In the shade of the forest tree; But
Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, In the deserts of Galilee.

Refrain

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word, That should set Thy people free; But
with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn, They bore Thee to Calvary.

Refrain

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing, At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room, There is room at My side
for thee.”

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, When Thou comest and callest for me

[Link] 10 Christ-Centered Christmas

 O Come All Ye Faithful
The words of the second verse are directly from one of the oldest creeds.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

Refrain

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Lights,

Lo, He abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;

O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;

Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

Refrain

[Link] 11 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Joy to the World
Written by Isaac Watts, this old favorite well expresses the joy of Christmas.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

[Link] 12 Christ-Centered Christmas

 It Came Upon
the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear, And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
That glorious song of old, Whose forms are bending low,
From angels bending near the earth, Who toil along the climbing way
To touch their harps of gold; With painful steps and slow,
“Peace on the earth, good will to men, Look now! for glad and golden hours
From Heaven’s all gracious King.” Come swiftly on the wing.
The world in solemn stillness lay, O rest beside the weary road,
To hear the angels sing. And hear the angels sing!

Still through the cloven skies they For lo! the days are hastening on,
come By prophet-bards foretold,
With peaceful wings unfurled, When with the ever circling years
And still their heavenly music floats Comes round the age of gold;
O’er all the weary world; When peace shall over all the earth
Above its sad and lowly plains, Its ancient splendors fling,
They bend on hovering wing, And the whole world send back the
And ever over its Babel sounds song
The blessèd angels sing. Which now the angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife

The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

[Link] 13 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Silent Night

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,

Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night

Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

[Link] 14 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Away in a Manger

Called Luther’s Cradle Hymn

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

[Link] 15 Christ-Centered Christmas

 The First Noel
Dates back to the 13th century!

The first Noel the angel did say Then did they know assuredly
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields Within that house the King did lie;
as they lay; One entered it them for to see,
In fields where they lay tending their And found the Babe in poverty.
sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so Refrain
deep.
Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Refrain Full reverently upon the knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Born is the King of Israel.
Refrain
They lookèd up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far; Between an ox stall and an ass,
And to the earth it gave great light, This Child truly there He was;
And so it continued both day and night. For want of clothing they did Him lay
All in a manger, among the hay.
Refrain
Refrain
And by the light of that same star
Three Wise Men came from country far; Then let us all with one accord
To seek for a King was their intent, Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
And to follow the star wherever it went. That hath made Heaven and earth of
naught,
Refrain And with His blood mankind hath
bought.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
Over Bethlehem it took its rest; Refrain
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Refrain

[Link] 16 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Angels We Have Heard on High
A traditional French carol.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see

Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,

Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

[Link] 17 Christ-Centered Christmas

 O Holy Night
Difficult to sing, but a favorite of many. Said to be the first music broadcast over
the radio.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

[Link] 18 Christ-Centered Christmas

 What Child is This?

What Child is this, who, laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

Refrain
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

Refrain

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Refrain

[Link] 19 Christ-Centered Christmas

 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, thou long-expected Jesus,

Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear Desire of ev'ry nation,
Joy of ev'ry longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

Born a child, and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

This booklet of Christmas carol lyrics is an excerpt from Christ-Centered Christmas,

a book by Hal & Melanie Young that shares project ideas, planning sheets,
recipes, and more to help you focus on the Lord during the holiday season. You
may freely copy this booklet without charge as long as this statement and the
footers with our website and book title remain intact.

[Link] 20 Christ-Centered Christmas