Mortals awake with angels join

mortals, awake, with angels join,
and chant the solemn lay,
joy, love, and gratitude combine,
to hail the auspicious day,
to hail the auspicious day.

in heav’n the rapturous song began,
and sweet seraphic fire
through all the shining legions ran,
and strung and tuned the lyre,
and strung and tuned the lyre.

swift through the vast expanse it flew,
and loud the echo rolled,
the theme, the song, the joy, was new—
’twas more than heav’n could hold,
’twas more than heav’n could hold.

down through the portals of the sky
the impetuous torrent ran;
and angels flew, with eager joy,
to bear the news to man,
to bear the news to man.

hark! the cherubic armies shout,
and glory leads the song:
good will and peace are heard throughout
the harmonious heav’nly throng,
the harmonious heav’nly throng.

with joy the chorus we repeat,
“glory to god on high!”
good will and peace are now complete,
jesus was born to die,
jesus was born to die.

hail, prince of life, forever hail!
redeemer, brother, friend!
though earth, and time, and life shall fail
thy praise shall never end,
thy praise shall never end.