Verse 1
Angels speak, let man[1] give ear,
Sent from high,
They are nigh,
And forbid our fear.
Verse 2
News they bring us of salvation,
Sounds of joy
To employ
Every tongue and nation.
Verse 3
Welcome tidings! To retrieve us
From our fall,
Born for all,
Christ is born to save us.
Verse 4
Born his creatures to restore,
Abject earth
Sees his birth,
Whom the heavens adore.[2]
Verse 5
Wrapt in swaths[3] th’ immortal stranger
Man with men
We have seen,
Lying in a manger.
Verse 6
All to God’s free grace is owing;
We are his
Witnesses,
Poor, and nothing knowing.
Verse 7
Simple shepherds us he raises,
Bids us sing
Christ the King,
And shew forth his praises.
Verse 8
We have seen the King of Glory,
We proclaim
Christ his name,
And record his story.
Verse 9
Sing we with the host of heaven,
Reconcil’d
By a child
Who to us is given.
Verse 10
Glory be to God the giver,
Peace and love
From above
Reign on earth for ever.
[1] Wesley changed “man” to “men” in 1768.
[2] Wesley changed “the heavens adore” to “heavens do adore” in 1755, but returned to the original in following editions.
[3] Wesley changed “swaths” to “swathes” in 1772.