God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

traditional English carol

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Savior
Was born upon this day,
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray:

(chorus)
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem in Jewry
This blesséd babe was born,
And laid within a manger,
Upon this blesséd morn;
The which his mother Mary
Nothing did take in scorn:

From God our Heavenly Father
A blesséd angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name:

"Fear not," then said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Savior,
Of virtue, power, and might;
So frequently to vanquish all
The friends of Satan quite":

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding,
In tempest, storm, and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway
This blessed Babe to find:

And when they came to Bethlehem,
Where our sweet Savior lay,
They found him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray:

Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface:

God bless the ruler of this house,
And send him long to reign,
And many a merry Christmas
May live to see again;
Among your friends and kindred
That live both far and near

Christmas Poems
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