Carols for the Fourth Sunday in Advent include Poverty Carol, It came upon a midnight clear, and New Zealand hymn writer Shirley Murray’s Star-child, earth-child.
The shepherds. Detail from Nativity by Robert Campin (1420) Photo: Yelkrokoyade, Creative Commons
SONG: BRIGHTEST AND BEST
Artist: Choir of St Edmundsbury Cathedral, James Thomas (dir), Michael Bawtree (organ)
Words/Music: Reginald Heber/Alwyn Surplice
Recording: Priory PRCD 712
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favour secure;
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
SONG: O HOLY NIGHT
Artist: Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison (dir), Michael Bloss (organ)
Words/Music: Placide Cappeau trans John Dwight/Adolphe Adam
Recording: Naxos 8.573421
O, holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
O, night divine, O, night when Christ was born!
O, night divine, O, night, oh, night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother,
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O, praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
SONG: STAR-CHILD, EARTH-CHILD
Artist: New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Carlton Young
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941001
Star-Child, earth-Child,
go-between of God,
love Child, Christ Child,
heaven's lightning rod,
Refrain:
This year, this year,
let the day arrive
when Christmas comes for everyone,
everyone alive!
Street child, beat child,
no place left to go,
hurt child, used child
no one wants to know,
Refrain:
Grown child, old child,
mem'ry full of years,
sad child, lost child,
story told in tears,
Refrain:
Spared child, spoiled child,
having, wanting more,
wise child, faith child,
knowing joy in store,
Refrain:
Hope-for-peace Child,
God's stupendous sign,
down-to-earth Child,
Star of stars that shine,
Refrain:
SONG: I TE WHARE KUAO (AWAY IN A MANGER)
Artist: Hatea Kapa Haka, David Tapene (dir)
Words/Music: Anon/Kirkpatrick arr David Tapene Senior
Recording: Hatea Kapa Haka 2023
I te whare kūao Kore moenga e
Takoto ā Ihu Te Ariki nui
Tīramarama mai Te Whetū mura
Ki runga i-a Ihu E moe tonu nei.
Be near me, Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever And love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven, To live with Thee there.
SONG: IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Artist: Musica Sacra, Indra Hughes (dir)
Words/Music: Trad/Arthur Sullivan
Recording: Atoll ACD 207
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heav’n’s all gracious king.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
SONG: WHO IS HE IN YONDER STALL
Artist: Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison (dir), Michael Bloss (organ)
Words/Music: Benjamin Hanby/Benjamin Hanby, Young
Recording: Naxos 8.573421
Who is he in yonder stall
at whose feet the shepherds fall?
Refrain:
'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!
'Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall,
crown him, crown him Lord of all!
Who is He, who stands and weeps,
at the grave where Laz’rus sleeps?
Refrain:
Who is he in Calvary's throes
asks for blessings on his foes?
Refrain:
Who is he who from the grave
comes to seek and help and save?
Refrain:
SONG: JOY TO THE WORLD
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry
Words/Music: Watts/Handel
Label: Kingsway KMCD 582
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,
and heav'n and nature sing,
and heav'n and nature sing,
and heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
your sweetest songs employ,
while fields and streams and hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, and wonders of His love.
