Salute the Happy Morn

Good morning, dear friends! I awoke this morning after a fitful sleep with the words to an old Christmas carol on my mind. I can't recall singing this one for several years so I was pleased that God, by His Spirit, brought it to mind. The words are archaic yet majestic and it was good to read them after doing a Google search to find them. The story behind the carol is worth repeating.

John Byrom had sev­er­al child­ren, but his fav­or­ite was his daugh­ter Dol­ly. In De­cem­ber 1745 after an outing with Dol­ly, he prom­ised to write her some­thing for Christ­mas; it was to be written es­pe­cial­ly for her and no one else. The de­light­ed Dol­ly re­mind­ed her fa­ther of his prom­ise each day as Christ­mas grew near­er. On Christ­mas morn­ing when she ran down to break­fast she found sev­er­al pre­sents await­ing her. Among them was an en­ve­lope ad­dressed to her in her fa­ther's hand­writ­ing. It was the first thing she opened, and to her great de­light, it proved to be this Christ­mas car­ol.

CHRISTIANS AWAKE, SALUTE THE HAPPY MORN

Christians, awake, salute the happy morn

Whereon the Savior of the world was born.

Rise to adore the mystery of love

Which hosts of angels chanted from above,

With them the joyful tidings first begun

Of God incarnate and the virgin’s Son.

Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,

Who heard th’angelic herald’s voice, “Behold,

I bring good tidings of a Savior’s birth

To you and all the nations of the earth;

This day hath God fulfilled His promised Word;

This day is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.”

He spoke; and straightaway the celestial choir

In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire;

The praises of redeeming love they sang,

And Heav’n’s whole orb with alleluias rang.

God’s highest glory was their anthem still,

Peace on the earth and unto men good will.

To Bethl’hem straight th’enlightened shepherds ran

To see the wonder God had wrought for man

And found, with Joseph and the blessèd maid,

Her Son, the Savior, in a manger laid;

Then to their flocks, still praising God, return,

And their glad hearts with holy rapture burn.

Like Mary let us ponder in our mind

God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind!

Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss,

From His poor manger to His bitter cross,

Tread in His steps, assisted by His grace,

Till man’s first heav’nly state again takes place.

Then may we hope, th’angelic hosts among,

To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song.

He that was born upon this joyful day

Around us all His glory shall display.

Saved by His love, incessantly we sing

Eternal praise to Heav’n’s almighty King.

I add a resounding AMEN as I close this post!

Have a great day, my friends! Be encouraged as you "think on these things."

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)