When Christ Was Born in Bethlehem
Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Composer: Ebenezer Beesley
Languages (4)
This song text has been indexed at SingPraises.net in the following languages:
- English: When Christ Was Born in Bethlehem
- German: Als Christ’ gebor’n in Bethlehem
- Japanese: 主がベツレヘムに
- Tongan: ʻAloʻi ʻi Petelihema
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Statistics
Most common tunes for “When Christ Was Born in Bethlehem”
This chart shows the tunes that are paired with this text most frequently, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the text appears with the same tune in multiple editions or translations of the same hymnbook, it is only counted once.
Appearances of “When Christ Was Born in Bethlehem” over time
This timeline shows which tunes have been used with this text over time, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Copyright status of original text
This text was first published in English, in 1906 or earlier.
Public domain
Earliest source indexed at SingPraises.net: The Juvenile Instructor (1866–1929), Dec 1906.
Representative lyrics
English (Original Language)
1. When Christ was born in Bethlehem, ’Twas night, but seemed the noon of day; The stars, whose light Was pure and bright, Shone with unwavering ray, Shone with unwavering ray; But one, one glorious star, But one, one glorious star Guided the eastern magi from afar.
2. Then peace was spread throughout the land; The lion fed beside the lamb; And with the kid To pasture led The spotted leopard fed, The spotted leopard fed; In peace the calf and bear, In peace the calf and bear, The wolf and lamb reposed together there.
3. As shepherds watched their flocks by night, An angel, brighter than the sun, Appeared in air, And gently said, “Fear not, be not afraid, Fear not, be not afraid. For lo! beneath your eyes, For lo! beneath your eyes Earth has become a smiling paradise!”
Compare
Compare different versions of the lyrics side-by-side: English