It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, From heav'n's all gracious king The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing



Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wings And ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing



Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long Beneath the angel's ... two thousand years a ... 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



And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow Take heart for comfort, love, and hope Come swiftly on the wing O rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing



For lo the days are hastening by prophet bards fortold When with the ever circling years Comes round the age of gold When peace shall o'er all the earth Its ancient splendours lay And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing