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.