No Little Town of Bethlehem
A Christmas Carol, Without Christ

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth no everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
still dwell in men tonight.

The Christ, not born of Mary,
remains in heaven above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch only ‘round His throne.
O morning stars together, see not the holy birth,
And praises sang to God the King,
will not be heard on earth!

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous Gift ne’er came
For God gave not to human hearts
the Sacrifice for sin
No ear will hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
The sin cursed soul is condemned still,
Christ never enters in.

Where children pure and happy
pray to an unknown God
Where misery cries, and heartaches find
no Son of the mother mild;
Where charity is wanting
and faithlessness holds sway,
The dark night wakes, The daylight breaks,
but there’s no Christmas Day.

The holy Child of prophesy, descended not that night
So in our sin, we still remain, with no hope yet in sight.
We hear no Christmas angels no great glad tidings tell.
He never came to live with us, The Lord Emmanuel!