On Yesternight I Saw A Sight

Alternate Title: The Virgin And The Child

Words: Rt. Rev. C. W. Stubbs

Music: T. T. Noble
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

Source: Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #409

1. On yesternight
I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day,
And heard among
The heav’ns a song,
The Christ is born today.

2. O joy and bliss!
‘Tis true, I wis,
This word the angels say:
He comes, my dear,
To bring us cheer,
For ever and for aye.

3. Good will and peace
They ne’er shall cease
In men of love to live;
For this Child king
O wondrous thing!
To earth God’s Hope doth give.

4. And it shall be
That good kings three
Shall bring on His Twelfth Night
A crown of gold
And gifts foretold
With jewels all endight.

5. And spice and myrrh,
Alas! For her
(Sweet Mary, bless thy boy!)
For here is laid
The great world’s aid,
Her sorrow and its joy.

6. What child or man
Who will or can
Not merry be today?
For news like this
Of joy and bliss
We know is sad no way.

7. O Holy Child,
Thou undefiled,
Send us God’s grace, we pray!
O come to us,
Abide with us,
Be born in us today.

Sheet Music from Charles L. Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #409

Sheet Music: Richard R. Terry, Twelve Christmas Carols (London: J. Curwen & Sons, Ltd., 1912), pp. 12-13.

Editor's Note.

The first verse shares some similarity to the burden in the carol The Virgin and Child. The similarity ended there.

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