It Came upon the Midnight Clear

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, to all good will, from heaven the news we bring.”

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 wing;

and ever o’er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.

​

But with the woes of war and strife the world has suffered long;

beneath the angel-strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong;

and we who fight the wars hear not the love song which they bring.

O hush the noise of battle strife, and hear the angels sing.

​

For, lo! the days are hastening on by prophet bards foretold,

when with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold:

when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing.