9) 2 Carols - God Rest You Merry Gentlemen & O Little Town of Bethlehem

"God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" is a traditional English Christmas Carol dating as far back as the 1650s.

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a newer Christmas Carol based on a text written by Phillips Brooks, an Episcopal priest, in 1868.

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"God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" Lyrics:

God rest you merry, Gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
for Jesus Christ our Savior,
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power,
When we were gone astray.
Chorus: O tidings of comfort and joy…


From God our heavenly Father,
A blessed angel came.
And unto certain shepherds,
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born,
The Son of God by name
Chorus: O tidings of comfort and joy…

The shepherds at those tidings,
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a feeding,
In tempest, storm, and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway,
This blessed babe to find:
Chorus: O tidings of comfort and joy…

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,
Doth bring redeeming grace.
Chorus: O tidings of comfort and joy…

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"O Little Town of Bethlehem" Lyrics:

O Little Town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie,
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by,
Yet in thy dark streets shineth,
The everlasting Light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight....

O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God, the King
And peace to men on earth
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love

How silently, how silently
The wondrous Gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
Oh, come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Immanuel!