THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS STORY

Sunday, December 6, 2009

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THOSE OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY – BUT IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD –THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH, FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.

THEN TO MY KNEES I WENT IN PRAYER AND PLEAD WITH THE LORD AS I KNELT THERE

BEFORE SCARCELY A WORD I’D SAID A VOICE RANG WITHIN MY HEAD – OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT, OH COME YE TO BETHLEHEM

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 SHINES THE EVERLASTING LIGHT – THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEAR ARE MET IN THEE TONIGHT

FOR LO – THE DAYS ARE HASTENING ON, BY PROPHETS SEEN OF OLD, WHEN WITH THE EVER CIRCLING YEARS SHALL COME THE TIME FORETOLD, WHEN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL OWN THE PRICE OF PEACE THEIR KING

THE WHOLE EARTH SENDS BACK THE SONG WHICH NOW THE HERALD ANGELS SING - GLORY, GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING

THEN, ALL IS CALM ALL IS BRIGHT ON THIS SILENT, HOLY NIGHT.

THERE, ‘ROUND YON VIRGIN MOTHER AND CHILD – HOLY INFANT, SO TENDER AND MILD – SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE

SHEPHERDS WILL WAKE AT YOUR SIGHT – GLORIES WILL STREAM FROM HEAVEN A FAR

FOR CHRIST THE SAVIOR IS BORN

SON OF GOD

LOVE’S PURE LIGHT BEAMS FROM THY HOLY FACE

THE HEAVEN BORN PRINCE OF PEACE

THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

LIGHT AND LIFE TO ALL HE BRINGS – BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH

JOY TO THE WORLD – THE LORD HAS COME – LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

HOW SILENTLY THE WONDROUS GIFT IS GIVEN

IN THIS WORLD OF SIN – WHERE MEEK SOULS WILL RECEIVE HIM STILL – THE DEAR CHRIST ENTERS IN

WITH MY PRAYER NOW DONE – DURING WHICH JESUS CHRIST MY SOUL HAS FURTHER WON – IN MY MIND THE VOICE DID CEASE TO RING

AND THEN I HEARD THE BELLS ONCE MORE ON CHRISTMAS SING

BUT NOW THEY PEALED MORE LOUD AND DEEP – GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOTH HE SLEEP – A VOICE A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME, PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN