Christmas Eve Caroling At God’s Acre: Song List and Lyrics

More

Christmas caroling at God’s Acre—a beloved local tradition that dates back to 1916 and was started by the Civic League, according to the historical record—will start at 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Caroling at God's Acre. December 30, 1976. John Bukovick photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1976. John Bukovick photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

What follows is a lyrics list and order of songs, from the terrific New Canaan Town Band, which will lead the festivities.

We’re publishing the lyrics of the eight songs here—as tradition has it, the community will save “Jingle Bells” for last—for those who wish to use their wireless devices to follow and sing along. God’s Acre holds a strong, steady 3G/4G wireless signal as well as one of the strongest Optimum WiFi signals in town (password needed).

Happy Christmas and happy caroling to all:

 

  1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

 

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King

Peace on earth, and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled.

Joyful, all ye nations, rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim

Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Chorus:

Hark! the herald angels sing.

Glory to the newborn King.

Christ, by highest heaven adored

Christ, the everlasting Lord

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of the favored one.

Veiled in flesh, the God-head see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Please, as man with men to dwell

Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hail! the heaven born Prince of Peace

Hail! the son of Righteousness

Light and life to all He brings

Risen with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth.

 

  1. Caroling at God's Acre. December 28, 1972. Syd Greenberg photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

    Caroling at God’s Acre. December 28, 1972. Syd Greenberg photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

    It Came Upon a 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, good will to men

From Heaven’s all gracious King;

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.

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 Prince of Peace their King,

And the whole world send back the song,

Which now the angels sing.

 

  1. God's Acre, 2015. Credit: Terry Dinan

    God’s Acre, 2015. Credit: Terry Dinan

    The First Noel

 

The first Noel the angels did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay- keeping their sheep

On a cold Winter’s night that was so deep.

Chorus:

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the East beyond them far

And to the earth it gave great light

And so it continued both day and night.

(Repeat Chorus)

This star drew nigh to the northwest

O’er Bethlehem it took its rest

And there it did both stop and stay

Right over the place where Jesus lay.

(Repeat Chorus)

Then entered in there Wisemen three

Fell reverently upon their knee

And offered there in His presence

Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

(Repeat Chorus)

 

  1. Caroling at God's Acre. December 30, 1958. Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

    Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1958. Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society

    Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

 

Oh 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 shineth,

The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary,

And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.

Oh, morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth!

And praises sing to God, the King,

And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessing of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

Oh, holy child of Bethlehem!

Descend to us we pray,

Cast out our sin, and enter in,

Be born in us to-day.

We hear the Christmas angels,

The great glad tidings tell;

Oh, come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel!

 

  1. Silent Night

 

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,

Shepherds quake at the sight,

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heavenly hosts sing alleluia

Christ, the Savior is born!

Christ, the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love’s pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face,

With the dawn of redeeming’ grace,

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,

Shepherds quake at the sight,

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heavenly hosts sing alleluia

Christ, the Savior is born!

Christ, the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love’s pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face,

With the dawn of redeeming’ grace,

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

 

  1. Oh Come All Ye Faithful

 

Oh, come all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant

Oh, come ye, Oh come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels;

Oh, come let us adore Him,

Oh come let us adore Him,

Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:

Glory to God in the highest:

Oh, come let us adore Him,

Oh come let us adore Him,

Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea Lord, we greet thee,

Born this happy morning,

Jesus to Thee be glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:

Oh, come let us adore Him,

Oh come let us adore Him,

Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

 

  1. Joy To The World

 

Joy to the world! The Lord has come:

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart

Prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns:

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods,

Rocks, hills, and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

He makes the nations prove

The glories of

His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders of His love.

 

  1. Jingle Bells

 

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O’er the fields we go

Laughing all the way—ha ha ha

Bells on bobtail ring

Making spirits bright

What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way.

Oh! what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh! what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *