The Advent Season

in Scripture, Song, and Verse

Collected from various public domain texts and sources

I have made every effort to provide links to my sources at the end of this document. –Aadel
http://deldobuss.wordpress.com
 Christmas Hymn

Sing, Christmas bells!

Say to the earth this is the morn
Whereon our Savior-King is born;
Sing to all men,—the bond, the free,
The rich, the poor, the high, the low,
The little child that sports in glee,
The aged folk that tottering go,—
Proclaim the morn
That Christ is born,
That saveth them and saveth me!

Sing, angel host!

Sing of the star that God has placed
Above the manger in the East;
Sing of the glories of the night,
The virgin's sweet humility,
The Babe with kingly robes bedight,—
Sing to all men where'er they be
This Christmas morn;
For Christ is born,
That saveth them and saveth me!

Sing, sons of earth!

O ransomed seed of Adam, sing!
God liveth, and we have a king!
The curse is gone, the bond are free—
By Bethlehem's star that brightly beamed,
By all the heavenly signs that be,
We know that Israel is redeemed;
That on this morn
The Christ is born
That saveth you and saveth me!
 Sing, O my heart!
Sing thou in rapture this dear morn
Whereon the blessed Prince is born!
And as thy songs shall be of love,
So let my deeds be charity
By the dear Lord that reigns above,
By Him that died upon the tree,
By this fair morn
Whereon is born
The Christ that saveth all and me!

For the grace of God hath appeared,

bringing salvation to all men,
Titus 2:11
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah,
out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
are from of old, from everlasting.

Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth:
then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of
the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the
ends of the earth.

And this man shall be our peace. –Micah 5:2-5a

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to
Joseph, before they came together she was
found with child of the Holy Spirit.

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous

man, and not willing to make her a public
example, was minded to put her away privily.

But when he thought on these things, behold,

an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a
dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt

call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save
his people from their sins. –Matthew 1:18-20

As Joseph was a walking, he heard an Angel sing;

His song was of the Coming of Christ, our Saviour King.
The good man, long dejected, had knelt to Him Who hears;
The blest refrain now swelling, removes his doubts and fears.

From “As Joseph Was A Walking” words & music by Henry John Gauntlett
 BETHLEHEM-TOWN
As I was going to Bethlehem-town,
Upon the earth I cast me down
All underneath a little tree
That whispered in this wise to me:
"Oh, I shall stand on Calvary
And bear what burthen saveth thee!"

As up I fared to Bethlehem-town,
I met a shepherd coming down,
And thus he quoth: "A wondrous sight
Hath spread before mine eyes this night,—
An angel host most fair to see,
That sung full sweetly of a tree
That shall uplift on Calvary
What burthen saveth you and me!"
[106]

And as I got to Bethlehem-town,

Lo! Wise men came that bore a crown.
"Is there," cried I, "in Bethlehem
A King shall wear this diadem?"
"Good sooth," they quoth, "and it is He
That shall be lifted on the tree
And freely shed on Calvary
What blood redeemeth us and thee!"

Unto a Child in Bethlehem-town

The wise men came and brought the crown;
And while the infant smiling slept,
Upon their knees they fell and wept;
But, with her babe upon her knee,
Naught recked that Mother of the tree,
That should uplift on Calvary
What burthen saveth all and me.

Again I walk in Bethlehem-town

And think on Him that wears the crown.
I may not kiss His feet again,
Nor worship Him as did I then;
My King hath died upon the tree,
And hath outpoured on Calvary
What blood redeemeth you and me!
John

Chapter 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath
been made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.

There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might
believe through him.

He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.

There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God,
even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of
the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

When came in flesh the incarnate Word
The heedless world slept on,
And only simple shepherds heard
That God had sent His Son.
When comes the Savior at the last,
From east to west shall shine
The awful pomp, and earth aghast
Shall tremble at the sign.
Then shall the pure of heart be blest;
As mild He comes to them,
As when upon the virgin’s breast
He lay at Bethlehem.
As mild to meek eyed love and faith,
Only more strong to save;
Strengthened by having bowed to death,
By having burst the grave.
Star of the East, that long ago
Brought wise men on their way
Where, angels singing to and fro,
The Child of Bethlehem lay—
Above that Syrian hill afar
Thou shinest out to-night, O Star!
Star of the East, the night were drear
But for the tender grace
That with thy glory comes to cheer
Earth's loneliest, darkest place;
For by that charity we see
Where there is hope for all and me.
Star of the East! show us the way
In wisdom undefiled
To seek that manger out and lay
Our gifts before the child—
To bring our hearts and offer them
Unto our King in Bethlehem!

Lord, who could dare see Thee descend

In state, unless he knew
Thou art the sorrowing sinner’s Friend,
The gracious and the true?

Dwell in our hearts, O Savior blest;

So shall Thine advent’s dawn
’Twixt us and Thee, our bosom Guest,
Be but the veil withdrawn.

-Joseph Anstice
Luke 2:1-16

Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that
all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was
governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the
city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of
David; to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child.

And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be
delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch
by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto
them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all
the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ
the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a

multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And
on earth peace among men in whom he is well
pleased.

And it came to pass, when the angels went

away from them into heaven, the shepherds
said one to another, Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to
pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us.

And they came with haste, and found both

Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the
manger.

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
 O Holy Night

Translated from French to English by John Sullivan Dwight

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Savior’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 world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O 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 come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

Chorus
He knows our need, He guardeth us from danger
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.

Chorus
Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child, and yet a King,

born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;

by Thine own sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

-Charles Wesley

. . .but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a
woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Galatians 4:4-5
Sources

Images:

Pictures from Old Children’s Bible Books

http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/Picture.htm

Christmas collection at WP Clipart

http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/Christmas/

Karen Whimsy Public Domain Images

http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/

Public Domain Texts:

Christmas Tales and Christmas Verse by Eugene Field

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17630

The Scottish Book of Common Prayer (1929)

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Scotland/Scotland.htm

All Scripture is from the ASV (American Standard Version)

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/American-Standard-Version-ASV-Bible/

Christmas Hymns

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/