"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
17th Century England

1- God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray.

Chorus:
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy!

2- In Bethlehem, in Israel, This blessed Babe was born,
And laid within a manger Upon this blessed morn;
The which His mother Mary Did nothing take in scorn.
( chorus)

3- From God our heavenly Father A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born The son of God by name.
( chorus)

4- Fear not, then, said the angel, Let nothing you afright.
This day is born a Savior Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him From Satan's power and might.
( chorus)

5- The shepherds at those tidings Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethl'em straightaway This blessed Babe to find.
( chorus)

6- But when to Bethlehem they came Where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a manger Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling Unto the Lord did pray.
( chorus)

7- Now to the Lord sing praises All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas All others doth deface.
( chorus)

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Syllabic legend:
...   hold
(Anticipate)
~   syllables
'   monosyllabic
-   emphasized
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1- (God) rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay,
(Re)member Christ our Sa~avior Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's pow'r When we were gone astray.

Chorus: O~o tidings of co~omfort and joy, Comfort and joy;
O~o ti~idings of co~omfort and joy!

2- In Bethlehem, in *Jewry, This bless-ed Babe was born,
And laid within a ma~anger Upon this bless-ed morn;
To which His mother Ma~ary Did nothing take in scorn. ( chorus)

3- From God our heav'nly Fa~ather A bless-ed angel came;
And unto certain she~epherds Brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born The son of God by name. ( chorus)

4- Fear not, then, said the a~angel, Let nothing you afright.
This day is born a Sa~avior Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him From Satan's pow'r and might. ( chorus)

5- The shepherds at those ti~idings Rejoic-ed much in mind,
And left their flocks a-fee~eeding In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethl'm straightaway This bless-ed Babe to find. ( chorus)

6- But when to Bethlehem they came Where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a ma~anger Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary knee~eeling Unto the Lord did pray. ( chorus)

7- Now to the Lord sing prai~aises All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Chri~istmas All others doth deface. ( chorus)
(repeat first verse?)

(*Jewry : original, *Israel : modern)

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