God rest you merry gentlemen

1. God rest ye merry, gentlemen, 
let nothing you dismay, 
remember Christ our Savior 
was born on Christmas Day; 
to save us all from Satan’s power 
when we were gone astray. 
//: O tidings of comfort and joy, 
comfort and joy; 
o tidings of comfort and joy! :// 

2. In Bethlehem, in Israel, 
this blessèd Babe was born, 
and laid within a manger 
upon this blessèd morn; 
the which His mother Mary 
did nothing take in scorn. 
O tidings... 

3. From God our heavenly Father 
a blessèd angel came; 
and unto certain shepherds 
brought tidings of the same; 
how that in Bethlehem was born 
the Son of God by name. 
O tidings... 

4. “Fear not, then,” said the angel, 
“let nothing you afright! 
This day is born a Savior 
of a pure Virgin bright, 
to free all those who trust in Him 
from Satan’s power and might.” 
O tidings... 

5. The shepherds at those tidings 
rejoiced much in mind, 
and left their flocks a-feeding 
in tempest, storm and wind, 
and went to Bethl’em straightaway 
this blessèd Babe to find. 
O tidings... 

6. But when to Bethlehem they came 
where our dear Savior lay, 
they found Him in a manger 
where oxen feed on hay; 
his mother Mary kneeling 
unto the Lord did pray. 
O tidings... 

7. Now to the Lord sing praises 
all you within this place, 
and with true love and brotherhood 
each other now embrace; 
this holy tide of Christmas 
all others doth deface. 
O tidings...

Lift up your hearts

1. “Lift up your hearts!” 
We lift them, Lord, to Thee; 
here at Thy feet none other may we see. 
“Lift up your hearts!” E’en so, with one accord, 
we lift them up, we lift them to the Lord. 

2. Above the level of the former years, 
the mire of sin, the weight of guilty fears, 
the mist of doubt, the blight of love’s decay, 
o Lord of Light, lift all our hearts today! 

3. Above the swamps of subterfuge and shame, 
the deeds, the thoughts, 
that honor may not name, 
the halting tongue that dares not tell the whole, 
o Lord of Truth, lift every Christian soul! 

4. Above the storms that vex this lower state, 
pride, jealousy, and envy, rage, and hate, 
and cold mistrust that holds e’en friends apart, 
o Lord of Love, lift every brother’s heart! 

5. Lift every gift that Thou Thyself hast given; 
low lies the best till lifted up to heaven; 
low lie the bounding heart, the teeming brain, 
till, sent from God, they mount to God again. 

6. Then, as the trumpet call, in after years 
“Lift up your hearts!” rings pealing in our ears. 
Still shall those hearts respond, with full accord: “We lift them up, we lift them to the Lord!”