Go Tell It On the Mountain
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 15
Go Tell It On the Mountain
Traditional Spiritual
O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” (Isaiah 40:9, NLT)
Thought for the Day: … Yes, God sent us a Savior – that we might know His forgiveness. But not only that we might know it. God sent us a Savior so that we, who have been given the privilege of this knowledge, might go and share the good news of His forgiveness with all the world!
https://www.worthydevotions.com/christian-devotional/go-tell-it-on-the-mountain-2
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light.
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.
Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.
Brightest and Best
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 16
Brightest and Best
Words: Reginald Heber (1811)
Music: American folk hymn
Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2 NLT)
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid
Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining,
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.
Shall we then yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom, and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure;
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Away in a Manger (medley)
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 32
Away in a Manger (medley)
(This arrangement is unusual in that the same words can be sung to three different tunes.)
Away in a Manger
Words: Stanzas 1 and 2 Anon., Stanza 3 John Tomas McFarland
Music: James R. Murray, 1887
Normandy Carol
Music: Anon.
Cradle Song
Music: William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895
She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luke 2:7 NLT)
Thought for the Day: Regardless of its author, the beauty of this carol is the beauty of Christmas. It is simple. Christmas is not the gold or glitter, the wrappings or trappings. It is the story of God humbling Himself to become a baby, born in crude circumstances to a young woman in ancient Palestine. Sing this carol softly. It is what Christmas is all about.
William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen, Great Songs of Faith, 1995
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright 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 you, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care, and fit us for heaven, to live with you there.
I Wonder as I Wander
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 16
I Wonder as I Wander
First stanza: Traditional Appalachian carol; stanzas 2 and 3 John Jacob Niles, 1933
The hymn has its origins in a song fragment collected by Niles on July 16, 1933.
While in the town of Murphy in Appalachian North Carolina, Niles attended a fundraising meeting held by evangelicals who had been ordered out of town by the police. In his unpublished autobiography, he wrote of hearing the song:
“A girl had stepped out to the edge of the little platform attached to the automobile. She began to sing. Her clothes were unbelievable dirty and ragged, and she, too, was unwashed. Her ash-blond hair hung down in long skeins. ... But, best of all, she was beautiful, and in her untutored way, she could sing. She smiled as she sang, smiled rather sadly, and sang only a single line of a song.”
The girl, named Annie Morgan, repeated the fragment seven times in exchange for a quarter per performance, and Niles left with "three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material—and a magnificent idea". (In various accounts of this story, Niles hears between one and three lines of the song.) Based on this fragment, Niles composed the version of "I Wonder as I Wander" that is known today, extending the melody to four lines and the lyrics to three stanzas. It was originally published in Songs of the Hill Folk in 1934.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wonder_as_I_Wander
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor ord'n'ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky.
When Mary birthed Jesus, all in a cow's stall,
Came wise men and farmers and shepherds and all,
And high from the heavens a star's light did fall;
The promise of the ages it then did recall.
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God's angels in heav'n for to sing,
He surely could have had it, 'cause he was the king.
Behold That Star
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 36
Behold That Star
Words and Music : Thomas W. Talley
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. (Matthew 2:9 NKJV)
This spiritual was written by Thomas Washington Talley (1870–1952), a professor of
chemistry at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Talley was also a gifted musician, and a pioneering ethnographer. In 1922 he published Negro Folk Rhymes, a collection of black traditional songs from rural Tennessee.
While director of the Mozart Society at Fisk, Talley was looking for a Christmas number that would capture the spirit of a jubilee song. He wrote, "As the son of an ex-slave, I knew a great many jubilee songs, but none pertained to Christmas." After searching far and wide, he realized he would have to create an original jubilee carol. "Behold That Star" was the result.
The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture notes that "this
successful publication was the first serious collection of folksongs from Tennessee, the
first compilation of black secular folksong, and the first to be assembled by a black
scholar."
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
There was no room found in the inn, (It is the star of Bethlehem.)
For Him Who was born free from sin. (It is the star of Bethlehem.) Oh,
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
The wise men came from the East (It is the star of Bethlehem.)
To worship him, the "Prince of Peace." (It is the star of Bethlehem.) Oh,
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
A song broke forth upon the night. (It is the star of Bethlehem.)
From angel hosts all robed in white. (It is the star of Bethlehem.) Oh,
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
“Glory to God, world without end.” (It is the star of Bethlehem.)
“Peace on the earth, good will to men.” (It is the star of Bethlehem.) Oh,
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold that star! Behold that star up yonder.
Behold that star! It is the star of Bethlehem.
The Christmas Drummer (medley)
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 36
The Christmas Drummer (medley)
Thought for the Day: How often do we feel our gifts are not good enough? We compare ourselves to others, wondering why their gifts seem so much more “useful” for the kingdom. We want to teach like our Pastor, or sing like our Worship Leader. Or maybe we want to share our blessings, but at times, we don’t feel very blessed. We can’t give what we don’t have, but rather than lamenting our lack, we need to look for our “drum”, the one thing that only we can give.
Think of ways that you can bless others this season and in turn bless God. You don’t have to spend money. You just have to give of yourself, of your heart. Just like the little Drummer Boy. And Jesus smiled at him. Think of Jesus smiling at you. Kind of makes your heart race, doesn’t it? Listen.
Pat-a-pan
Words and Music: Bernard de La Monnoye, 1720
(a French Christmas carol originally written in the Burgundian dialect)
Willie, bring your little drum, Robin, get your fife, and come,
And be merry while you play, Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
We will listen as you play for the joy for Christmas day.
When the men of olden days gave the King of Kings their praise
They had pipes on which to play, Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
They had drums on which to play for the joy of Christmas day.
God and man became today, more in tune than fife and drum,
So be merry while you play, Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
Come be merry while you play on this joyous Christmas day.
The Little Drummer Boy
Words and Music: Katherine Kennicott Davis, 1941
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.
Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?
Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.
Gesu Bambino
- Details
- Category: Christmas Hymn of the Day
- Hits: 33
Gesu Bambino
Text: Translated by Frederick H. Martens ca. 1923
Music: Pietro Yon, 1917
Thought for the Day: Read the words to this beautiful Italian Christmas carol.
Now re-read the last line of the second verse: “From paradise to earth He came, that we with Him might dwell.” That phrase changes the song from the innocence of the infant Jesus and introduces us to the Savior Christ who was and is and will be. Jesus came from paradise to earth. That means he existed with God in heaven before he was born. Then he came to earth. Why? So that we with him might dwell. Are we going to dwell with him on earth? No. We are going to dwell with him in heaven. This is the resurrection Jesus in a Christmas song!
http://www.eurekachristianchurch.org/2011/12/advent-devotion-day-26/
When blossoms flowered ‘mid the snows upon a winter night
Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose, the King of Love and Light.
The angels sang, the shepherds sang, the grateful earth rejoiced,
And at His blessed birth, the stars their exultation voiced.
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Again the heart with rapture glows to greet the holy night
That gave the world its Christmas Rose, the King of Love and Light.
Let every voice acclaim His name, the grateful chorus swell,
From paradise to earth He came, that we with Him might dwell.
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.