God rest you merry, gentlemen (Traditional)

From ChoralWiki

Contents 1 Music files 1.1 Harmonizations 1.2 Arrangements 2 General Information 3 Original text and translations

Music files

See also the Christmas Songbook

Harmonizations

• CPDL #7045:

Editor: Edward L. Stauff (added 2004-05-20).   Score information: Letter, 1 page   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

• CPDL #1696:

Editor: Christopher R. Baker (added 2000-11-27).   Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 1.0

Edition notes: arr. Rev. W. D. V. Dunconbe

• CPDL #1695:

Editor: Christopher R. Baker (added 2000-11-27).   Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 1.0

Edition notes:

• CPDL #622:

Editor: Rafael Ornes (added 1999-12-07).   Score information: 20 kbytes   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: arr. John Stainer

Arrangements

• CPDL #16450:

Editor: Marcello Noia (added 2008-03-26).   Score information: A4, 6 pages, 129 kbytes   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Arr. Marcello Noia. Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score.

General Information

Title: God rest you merry, gentlemen
Composer: Traditional

Number of voices: 4vv  Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carols

Language: English
Instruments: a cappella.
Published:

Description:

External websites:

• See the Wikipedia article
• CyberHymnal entry for God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Original text and translations

English text

1.

God rest ye¹ merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

For Jesus Christ our Saviour

Was born upon this day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

2.

In Bethlehem, in Jewry,

This blessèd Babe was born

And laid within a manger

Upon this blessèd morn

To which His Mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

3.

From God our Heavenly Father

A blessèd Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

4.

"Fear not then," said the Angel,

"Let nothing you affright,

This day is born a Saviour

Of a pure Virgin bright,

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan's power and might."

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

5.

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.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

6.

But when to Bethlehem they came

Whereat this Infant lay,

They found Him in a manger,

Where oxen feed on hay;

His Mother Mary kneeling,

Unto the Lord did pray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

7.

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 other doth deface.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

¹ "ye" is often replaced with "you".