1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
come and behold him,
born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 God of God,
Light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
very God,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
2A True God of true God,
Light of light eternal,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Son of the Father,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
2B God of God,
and of light begotten,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
very God,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
3 See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
3A See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
4 Lo, star-led chieftains,
Magi, Christ adoring,
offer him incense, gold, and myrrh;
we to the Christ-child
bring our hearts' oblations;
Chorus
5 Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
fain we embrace thee with love and awe;
who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly?
Chorus
5A Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
fain we embrace thee with awe and love;
who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly?
Chorus
6 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
'Glory to God
in the highest:'
Chorus
7 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given:
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
7A Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory giv'n;
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
Alternative Text 1
1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyfully triumphant
to Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord;
Lo! in a manger
lies the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 Though true God of true God,
Light of Light eternal,
the womb of a virgin he hath not abhorred;
Son of the Father,
not made, but begotten;
Chorus
3 Raise, raise, choirs of angels,
songs of loudest triumph,
through heaven's high arches be your praises poured,
'Now to our God be
Glory in the highest.'
Chorus
4 Amen! Lord, we bless thee,
born for our salvation!
O Jesus, for ever be thy name adored:
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing;
Chorus
Alternative Text 2
1 O come, all you faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come you, O come you to Bethlehem;
come and behold him,
born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 True God of God,
Light from light eternal,
maiden for mother, he was born for us all;
only begotten
Son of God the Father:
Chorus
3 See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw near to gaze;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
4 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all you citizens of heaven above:
'Glory to God
in the highest:'
Chorus
5 Yes, Lord, we greet you,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to you be glory given:
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
Adeste fideles
Anonymous Latin, attributed to John Francis Wade (1711-1786) Etienne Jean Francois Borderies ((1764-1832) William Mercer (1811-1873), Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880), William Thomas Brooke (1848-1917) and others
Irregular
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
come and behold him,
born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 God of God,
Light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
very God,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
2A True God of true God,
Light of light eternal,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Son of the Father,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
2B God of God,
and of light begotten,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
very God,
begotten, not created:
Chorus
3 See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
3A See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
4 Lo, star-led chieftains,
Magi, Christ adoring,
offer him incense, gold, and myrrh;
we to the Christ-child
bring our hearts' oblations;
Chorus
5 Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
fain we embrace thee with love and awe;
who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly?
Chorus
5A Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
fain we embrace thee with awe and love;
who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly?
Chorus
6 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
'Glory to God
in the highest:'
Chorus
7 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given:
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
7A Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory giv'n;
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
Alternative Text 1
1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyfully triumphant
to Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord;
Lo! in a manger
lies the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 Though true God of true God,
Light of Light eternal,
the womb of a virgin he hath not abhorred;
Son of the Father,
not made, but begotten;
Chorus
3 Raise, raise, choirs of angels,
songs of loudest triumph,
through heaven's high arches be your praises poured,
'Now to our God be
Glory in the highest.'
Chorus
4 Amen! Lord, we bless thee,
born for our salvation!
O Jesus, for ever be thy name adored:
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing;
Chorus
Alternative Text 2
1 O come, all you faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come you, O come you to Bethlehem;
come and behold him,
born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 True God of God,
Light from light eternal,
maiden for mother, he was born for us all;
only begotten
Son of God the Father:
Chorus
3 See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw near to gaze;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
Chorus
4 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all you citizens of heaven above:
'Glory to God
in the highest:'
Chorus
5 Yes, Lord, we greet you,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to you be glory given:
word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
Adeste fideles
Anonymous Latin, attributed to John Francis Wade (1711-1786) Etienne Jean Francois Borderies ((1764-1832) William Mercer (1811-1873), Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880), William Thomas Brooke (1848-1917) and others
Irregular
Authors & Copyright
Principal:
Percival, Allen Dain
(1925 — 1992)
Principal:
Brooke, William Thomas
(1848 — 1917)
Principal:
Mercer, William
(1811 — 1873)
Principal:
Oakeley, Frederick
(1802 — 1880)
From:
Borderies, Étienne Jean François
(1764 — 1832)
From:
Wade, John Francis (attributed)
(1711 — 1786)
From:
Copyright:
References
Themes:
angels
Bethlehem—Bible
birth—Christmas
incarnation
king
Virgin Mary—see also Mary mother of Jesus
worship
Bible Refs:
