ANGELS FROM THE REALM OF GLORY
"A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, saying,
'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His
favor rests.'" Luke 2:13-14
Words: James Montgomery, 1816; appeared in Montgomery's newspaper,
Iris, the day before Christmas, 1816, under the title "Nativity." It
was published again in Christian Psalmist, 1825. Stanza 5 is from The
Christmas Box, 1825.
Music: "Regent Square," Henry Thomas Smart, 1867.
Angels from the realm of glory,
Wing our flight over all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story
Now proclaim the Messiah's birth.
Refrain
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching over your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:
Refrain
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.
Refrain
Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.
Refrain
Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you, break your chains.
Refrain
Though an infant now we view Him,
He shall fill His Father's throne,
Gather all nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:
Refrain
All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising
To the eternal Three in One.
Note: In place of the verse "Sinners, wrung with true repentance..."
some hymnals use the following, written in 1855 by Isaac Gregory Smith:
Lord of Heaven, we adore Thee,
God the Father, God the Son,
God the Spirit, One in glory,
On the same eternal throne.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Lord of Heaven, Three in One.