Christians Awake Salute the Happy Morn

Christians, awake, salute the happy morn
Whereon the Saviour of the world was
born
Rise to adore the mystery of love
Which hosts of angels chanted from
above
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God incarnate and the Virgin's Son
Then to the watchful shepherds it was
told
Who heard the angelic herald's voice:
"Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth
To you and all the nations upon earth
This day hath God fulfilled His promised
word;
This day is born a Saviour, Christ the
Lord."
He spake, and straightaway the celestial
choir
In hymns of joy, unknown before,
conspire
The praises of redeeming love they sang
And heaven's whole orb with alleluias
rang
God's highest glory was their anthem still
Peace upon earth and unto men goodwill
To Bethlehem straight the shepherds ran
To see the wonder God had wrought for
man
And found, with Joseph and the blessed
Maid
Her Son, the Saviour, in a manger laid
Amazed, the wondrous story they
proclaim
The earliest heralds of the Saviour's
name
Let us, like these good shepherds, them
employ
Our grateful voices to proclaim the joy
Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved
our loss
From His poor manger to His bitter cross
Treading His steps, assisted by His grace
Till man's first heavenly state again
takes place
Then may we hope, the angelic thrones
among
To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song
He that was born upon this joyful day
Around us all His glory shall display
Saved by His love, incessant we shall
sing
Of angels and of angel-men the King