Lead Me To Thy Peaceful Manger

For Christmas

Words: Ez dukezu, from one of the poems of Matthew Bridges.

Music: Basque Carol melody collected by Fr. Donostia.

Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #108, pp. 34-35.

1. Lead me to Thy peaceful manger,
    Won'drous Babe of Bethlehem;
Shepherds hail Thee yet a stranger;
    Let me worship Thee with them.
I am vile, but Thou art holy;
    Oh, unite my (poor) heart to Thee;
Make me contrite, keep me lowly,
    Pure as Thou would'st have me be.

2. Let me listen to the story,
    Full of all-surpassing love,
How the Lord of grace and glory
    Left for us His throne above:
Touch'd with sympathy so tender,
    Man (adoreth) while seraphs gaze
And with gladness we surrender
    Soul and body to Thy praise.

3. Blesséd Jesus, holy Saviour,
    Offspring of the royal Maid,
By Thy meek and pure behaviour
    In her folding arms display'd;
By Thy tears of earliest anguish,
    On Thy (sweet) infant brow impearl'd,
By the love that could not languish
    Thou hast saved a ruin'd world.

Note from Rev. Terry:

To meet the eight syllables in each sixth line of the tune the words in brackets have been inserted. For Matthew Bridges' original poems.

Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #108, pp. 34-35.

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