Glad Christmas bells, your music tells
The sweet and pleasant story;
How come to earth, in lowly birth,
The Lord of life and glory.

No palace hall its ceiling tall
His kingly head spread over,
There only stood a stable rude
The heav'nly Babe to cover.

Nor raiment gay, as there He lay,
Adorn'd the infant stranger;
Poor, humble child of mother mild
She laid Him in a manger.

But from afar, a splendid star
The wise men westward turning;
The live long night saw pure and bright,
Above His birth place burning.