O little town of Bethlehem (Joseph Barnby)

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Music files

• CPDL #12530: ( )
  

Editor: Douglas Walczak (added 2006-09-08).   Score information: letter, 1 pages, 68 kbytes   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Tune: Bethlehem
Composer: Joseph Barnby
Hymnist: Phillip Brooks

Number of voices: 4vv  Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carols
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: The Church Hymnal (edition B), Boston, 1908

Description: An alternative tune to the ones more commonly used for this text.

External websites:

CyberHymnal entry for O Little Town of Bethlehem:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/l/olittle.htm

Original text and translations

English text

1.

O 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.

2.

O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,

and praises sing to God the King and peace to men on earth;

For Christ is born of Mary; and, gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondring love'.

3.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav'n.

No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

4.

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray,

Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today,

We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

Lyrics: Phill­ips Brooks, 1867