It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old    From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold    Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious king    The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing       Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurl    And still their heavenly music floats, O'er all the weary world.    Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing    And ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing          O ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low    Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow    Look now for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing    O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing       For lo the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old    When with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold    When the new heaven and earth shall own the prince of peace their King    And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing