Words & Music: Old Kent­ish car­ol; ap­peared in Christ­mas Car­ols New and Old, by and (Lon­don: No­vel­lo, Ew­er & Co., cir­ca 1871), num­ber 31.


The Babe in Bethlem’s manger laid,
In humble form so low,
By wond’ring angels is surveyed,
Thro’ all His scenes of woe.

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Nowell, Nowell—
O sing a Savior’s birth:
All hail His coming down to earth,
Who raises us to Heav’n.

A Savior! sinners all around
Sing, shout the wondrous word;
Let every bosom hail the sound,
A Savior! Christ the Lord.

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For not to sit on David’s throne
With worldly pomp and joy,
He came for sinners to atone,
And Satan to destroy.

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To preach the word of life divine,
To give the living bread,
To heal the sick with hand benign,
And raise to life the dead.

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He preached, He suffered, bled and died,
Uplift ’twixt earth and skies;
In sinners’ stead was crucified,
For sin a sacrifice.

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Well may we sing the Savior’s birth,
Who need the grace so giv’n,
And hail His coming down to earth,
Who raises us to Heav’n.

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