Glorious Beauteous Goldenbright

Glorious, beauteous, golden-bright,
Shedding softest, purest light,
Shone the stars that christmas night,
When the jewish shepherds kept
Watch beside their flocks that slept.

But the stars’ sweet golden gleam
Faded quickly as a dream
’mid the wondrous glory-stream
That illumined all the earth,
When Christ’s angels sang his birth.

Soft and pure and Holy glory,
Kings and seers and prophets hoary,
Shed throughout the sacred story:
While the priests, like shepherds true,
Watched beside God’s chosen few.

But that light no more availéd,
And its splendor staighway paléd
In his light whom angels hailéd;
Even as the stars of old,
’mid the brightness lost their gold.

Now no more on christmas night,
Is the sky with angels bright,
But for ever shines the light;
Even he whose birth they told
To the shepherds by the fold.

Since that light then darkens never,
Let us all, with glad endeavor,
Sing the song that echoes ever:
Glory in the highest heaven!
Peace on earth to us forgiven.