When darkness descend upon the land
Its oppressive weight doth bend
Everything that dare to stand
Of beginnings it makes fast end
Layered thick, grief upon grief
Its claws make end of youth
Crushing new; this end its chief
Until it clash with Truth
Truth it came in hidden form
As ancient fables tell
A winter’s night, far from warm
On open ears it fell
Angelic chorus pierced the sky!
The simple shepherds knelt
Did pierce the dark a baby’s cry!
And dark a tremble felt
For all its effort toil and fear
This evil could not slay
A tiny babe great men revere
Whose light came Christmas Day
And with Him all true freedom spoke
All strength and grace and peace
The chains of men and devils broke
In His named oppression ceased
That Christmas Day a light was born!
In sky; upon the earth
By light that darkest curtain torn!
Men’s hearts were freed for mirth
Slaves we were with empty hearts
No evil dark could fill
And who shall darkness tear apart?
This baby Christ child will
This Christmas Day we fix upon
Our freedom’s source and light
And remember that forever long
His birth made all things right