This hymn I came across while reading online hymnals. This hymn was written by Joseph Anstice who was born in 1808 in Shropshire, UK. At the ago of 22, he became Professor of Classical Literature at King’s College University, London and he died aged 28. His hymns were printed a few months after his death. I don’t have a musical rendition of this one, but maybe you do? I’d love to hear!

When came in flesh the Incarnate Word,
The heedless world slept on,
And only simple shepherds heard
That God had sent his Son.

When comes the Saviour at the last,
From east to west shall shine
The judgement light, and earth aghast
Shall tremble at the sign.

Then shall the pure of heart be blest,
As mild he comes to them,
As when upon the Virgin’s breast
He lay at Bethlehem:

As mild to meek-eyed love and faith,
Only more strong to save;
Strengthened by having bowed to death,
By having burst the grave.

Lord, who could dare see thee descend
In state, unless he knew
Thou art the sorrowing sinner’s friend,
The gracious and the true?

Dwell in our hearts, O Saviour blest;
So shall thine advent’s dawn
’tween us and thee, our bosom-guest,
Be but the veil withdrawn.

This Christmas hymn written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848 was originally written to explain this part of the Apostles’ Creed: “Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.” Each stanza explores part of the contrast between Jesus’ divinity and humanity. The first stanza contrasts the grand idea of “royal David’s city” with the lowliness of a cattle-shed, and the second, the glory of heaven, from where He came, with the poverty of earth to which He came. The hymn ends by reminding us that Christ has ascended once again to glory, where we shall see Him, as He said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3)_¹.

Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor and mean and lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.

And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love,
for that child, so dear and gentle,
is our Lord in heav’n above,
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor, lowly stable
with the oxen standing by
we shall see him, but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars his children crowned,
all in white, his praise will sound.

¹https://hymnary.org/text/once_in_royal_davids_city_stood_a_lowly

Another modern one by one of my favourite worship groups, Emu Music. Enjoy this one, that ponders on the wonder of God our saviour in a manger.

Beyond the hills of Bethlehem
The angel choir sings
A joyful chorus fills the skies:
“A saviour in a manger!”

The promise of a coming king
The hope of all the earth
To dwell within our broken world
The saviour in a manger

Refrain
Rejoice, the Lord has come
Rejoice, the promised son
Rejoice, the saving one
Has come to pay our ransom
The saviour in a manger

A treasure for the longing soul
His peace within our hearts
We sing the glory of the Son
Our saviour in a manger!

Refrain

Originally written as a German versification of the text Isaiah 40: 1-5, the text of this hymn was meant to show the promise of better days to come within the coming of the Messiah. The hymn was written by Johann Olearius in honour of St. John the Baptist day, and was published in the 1671 collection Geistliche Singe-Kunst.This collection contained nearly 1200 hymns, 300 of which came from Olearius himself. it wasn’t until nearly 200 years later that Catherine Winkworth translated this hymn from German to English and published it in her 1863 collection of translations Chorale Book for England. Known for her clean translations, Winkworth was good at maintaining the original form of the texts she translated¹. Enjoy!

“Comfort, comfort all my people;
speak of peace,” so says our God.
“Comfort those who sit in darkness,
groaning from their sorrows’ load.
Speak to all Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell them that their sins I cover,
that their warfare now is over.”

All their sins our God will pardon,
blotting out each dark misdeed;
all that well deserved his anger
he no more will see or heed.
They have suffered many a day;
now their griefs have passed away.
God will change their aching sadness
into ever-springing gladness.

John the Baptist’s voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
calling people to repentance
for the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
let the Valleys rise to meet him
and the hills bow down to greet him.

Then make straight the crooked highway;
make the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
ready for his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now o’er earth is spread abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that his word is never broken.

¹http://etymologyofhymns.blogspot.com/2012/12/comfort-comfort-ye-my-people.html

My church ever year bring out this song at Christmas time. This song from Sovereign Grace takes inspiration from prophecies about Jesus as well as Mary’s Magnificat. The song does well to express the joy Mary and the Israelites who believed must have felt to know the promised Messiah has come. I have included before an acoustic and studio version below.

Oh, the mercy our God has shown
To those who sit in death’s shadow
The sun on high, pierced the night
Born was the Cornerstone

Refrain
Unto us a Son is given, unto us a Child is born
He Who is mighty has done a great thing
Taken on flesh, conquered death’s sting
Shattered the darkness and lifted our shame
Holy is His name

Oh, the freedom our Savior won
The yoke of sin has been broken
Once a slave, now by grace
No more condemnation

Refrain

Now my soul magnifies the Lord
I rejoice in the God Who saves
I will trust His unfailing love
I will sing His praises all my days

My soul magnifies the Lord
I rejoice in the God Who saves
I will trust His unfailing love
I will sing His praises all my days

Refrain

Celtic Worship fast became one of my favourite bands after hearing their powerful renditions of psalms, older hymns and original works, while adding in their Scottish heritage. I loved this song as soon as I heard it, and it’s praise to Christ the Messiah being born.

Here in a stable He lays so peacefully;
Light of the world freely given for us to receive.
Wise men bowed down and the shepherds rejoiced,
He is here for all to see.

Refrain
Oh, a child is born,
A Son came down for us.
He, reigns on high,
This Christmas time;
And evermore

Humbly He came to the earth, little child for me;
To suffer, to save, to bring life past the grave.
Angels they sang giving praise 
To the one precious gift for all to receive.

Refrain

Jesus our saviour we praise your holy name;
We give thanks to you for your love, mercy and grace.
Restoring us now, bringing hope to the world
Praise the Lord, He reigns on high!

Refrain

I love this modern Christmas Carol by Matt Papa, Keith Getty, Matt Boswell and Stuart Townend. I always imagine that this would be the sung throughout the scene of the wisemen being told about Jesus by the angels, and then travelling to Bethlehem to meet them all. I’m sure you’ll be jumping up and singing this cheerful one!

Sing we the song of Emmanuel
This the Christ who was long foretold
Lo in the shadows of Bethlehem
Promise of dawn now our eyes behold
God Most High in a manger laid
Lift your voices and now proclaim
Great and glorious Love has come to us
Join now with the hosts of heaven

Come we to welcome Emmanuel
King who came with no crown or throne
Helpless He lay the Invincible
Maker of Mary now Mary’s son
O what wisdom to save us all
Shepherds sages before Him fall
Grace and majesty what humility
Come on bended knee adore Him

Go spread the news of Emmanuel
Joy and peace for the weary heart
Lift up your heads for your King has come
Sing for the Light overwhelms the dark
Glory shining for all to see
Hope alive let the gospel ring
God has made a way He will have the praise
Tell the world His name is Jesus
Glory shining for all to see
Hope alive let the gospel ring
God has made a way He will have the praise
Tell the world His name is Jesus

Gloria, gloria!

Born in Bristol in 1837, Anglican layman William Chatterton Dix was the son of a surgeon who had also written a biography on Thomas Chatterton, the poet, and also the reason for William’s middle name. Dix became very sick and was in bed for a long time recovering. He had plenty of time to pray and read the Word of God and from this experience his life was truly changed for the better. He began to write hymns, three we may be familiar with today: As with Gladness, Men of Old, Alleluia! Sing to Jesus and What Child is This? This song was written as The Manger Song, first published in 1865. The tune is to the ever-popular Greensleeves, written a full century before Dix’s hymn¹. Below is a version by Southern Seminary I think you’ll enjoy 🙂

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?

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 lamb are feeding?
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through
The cross be borne for me, for you
Hail, hail the Word made flesh
The Babe, the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him

Raise, raise a song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary

¹http://www.hopeinthehealing.com/2014/12/03/what-child-is-this-story-behind-carol/

Taken from her Advent album, A Seed, A Sunrise, Caroline Cobb draws heavily from Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets as well as the gospel narratives, and explores the longing of Advent, the joy of Christmas, and the hope of Jesus’s return. This song, and the whole album, is rich with biblical imagery, artful arrangements, and poetic lyrics to help the Church rehearse and remember God’s Story.

Oh righteous branch from Jesse’s root,
Please come and bring your kingdom.
The lion dwelling with the lamb,
Bring peace and life and freedom.
Oh Son of David come to rule,
And reign in us forever.
Come write your law upon our hearts,
And keep us like a shepherd.

Refrain
Hallelujah, Jesus we wait for you
Hallelujah, Jesus come soon come soon

Messiah come, your Spirit give,
Turn stony hearts to flesh;
Redeem us from captivity,
The power of sin and death.

Refrain

At last, at last the morning comes,
With healing in its wings;
We’ll leap like calves loosed from their stalls,
For you have done great things –
Yes, you have done great things!

Refrain

The words of this carol are translated from a Greek Christmas Eve service of worship used as early as the fourth or fifth century called the Liturgy of St. James. Some scholars believe this carol dates back to AD 60, the same time that Paul was writing Romans. This liturgy is believed to be perhaps the oldest liturgy developed for the church and is still used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was translated into English in 1864.¹ Below is a soulful version that aims to capture the awe and wonder of the incarnation.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the pow’rs of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

¹page 38 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church