Joy Fills Our Inmost Hearts Today!

Alternate Title: Emmanuel, God With Us

Words: William Chatterton Dix, in Church Times, circa 1865.

Music: "Gaudete," Samuel Smith (1821-?), 1874
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

1. Joy fills our inmost hearts today!
The Royal Child is born:
And Angel hosts in glad array
His advent keep this morn.

Refrain
The Holy One is Mary's Son,
God comes on earth to dwell,
With joy proclaim His glorious Name,
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.¹

2. Low at the cradle throne we bend,
We wonder and adore;
And think² no bliss can ours transcend,
No rapture³ sweet before. Refrain

3. For us the world must lose its charms
Before the manger shrine,
Where folded⁴ in Thy mother’s arms,
Thou sleepest,⁵ Babe divine. Refrain

4. Angels are thronging round Thy bed,
Thine infant grace to see;
The stars are paling o'er Thy head,
The Day-spring dawns with Thee. Refrain

5. Thou Light of uncreated Light,
Enlighten us, sweet Child;⁶
That we may keep Thy birthday bright,
With service undefiled. Refrain

Sheet Music "Gaudete" by Samuel Smith from Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #6

Sheet Music by Henry Gadsby from Charles L. Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #49
MIDI / Noteworthy Composers/ PDF

Sheet Music by Henry Gadsby from Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer, Christmas Carols New and Old (London: Novello, Ewer & Co., ca 1878), #46.
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer/ PDF

Notes

1. Hutchins #6, and others, have the following refrain:

Refrain
Rejoice, rejoice! Th’ incarnate Word
Has come on earth to dwell;
No sweeter sound than this is heard
Emmanuel! Return

2. Or: And feel Return

3. Or: No joy was Return

4. Or: When, folded Return

5. Or: We see Thee, Return

6. Or:

Thou Light of uncreated Light,
Shine on us, holy Child; Return