Welcome to Carols in the Park 2024, a joint event organised by Highfield Park Trust and St Luke’s Church, with donations going to St Albans Community Pantry - click here to donate.
Scroll down for all the words for all the carols. If you need to share the link with anyone else, this is the URL:
saint-lukes.co.uk/carols
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel
Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou knowst it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude winds wild lament
And the bitter weather
In his masters step he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
Joy to the world; the Lord has come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
And heaven and nature sing.
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns,
Your sweetest songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.
Repeat the sounding joy.
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.
And wonders of his love.
And wonders, and wonders of his love.
The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay,
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
This star drew nigh to the northwest;
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three,
full reverently upon their knee,
and offered there in his presence
their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
’Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Follow me in merry measure
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
While I tell of Yuletide treasure
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Fast away the old year passes
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Sing we joyous all together
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Heedless of the wind and weather
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Sing we joyous all together
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
Heedless of the wind and weather
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of light,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshipping God on high.
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Heaven sings alleluia
Alleluia the earth replies.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
laid down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky
looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing,
the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus,
no crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
And stay by my side
until morning is nigh
Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th'incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that we no more may die
Born to raise each child of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
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!
Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God in the highest
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord!
Yea Lord, we greet Thee
Born that happy morning
Jesus to thee be glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin.
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!
Highfield Park Trust and St Luke’s Church wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.
To donate to St Albans Community Pantry, track down one of the donations buckets or click here.
For more information about Highfield Park Trust click here.
For more carols, come along to Candlelit Carols at St Luke’s at 6pm on Sunday 15th December. Or for more information about any of our other Christmas services at St Luke’s on Cell Barnes Lane, click here.