Lyrics for Nepean Choir concert, December 5, 2025
The Darkest Midnight in December
The darkest night in December,
No snow, no hail, nor winter storm,
Shall hinder us for to remember,
The Babe that on this night was born.
‘Twas but pure love that from above
Brought Him to save us from all harms
Then let us sing and welcome Him,
The God of Love in Mary’s arms.
No costly gifts can we present Him,
No gold nor myrrh nor odours sweet.
But if with our hearts we can content Him,
We humbly lay them at his feet.
With shepherds we are come to see,
This lovely Infant’s glorious charms,
Born of a maid as prophets said,
The God of love in Mary’s arms.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
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 the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still,
the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels,
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!
Anang
A star fell through the sky towards me
Anang gii-piidagoojin
Baga kaasigewag anangoog
Stars shine brightly
Anan goog
Ave Maris Stella
Ave maris stella
Dei mater alma
Alma atque semper virgo
Coeli porta
Gabrielis ore mutans evae nomen
Sumens ilud ave funda nos in pace
Translation:
Hail, star of the sea.
Blessed mother of God
Forever virgin,
Happy gate of heaven
Receiving that Ave from the mouth of Gabriel
Changing the name of Eve
Establish us in peace.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
how I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
Often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye
till the sun is in the sky.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
“Fear not,” said he (for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind);
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
Thus spake the Seraph, and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:
“All glory be to God on high,
and to the earth be peace;
Good will henceforth from heaven to men
begin and never cease”
Northern Lights
Pulchra es, amica mea,
suavis et decora filia Jerusalem,
terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.
Averte oculos tuos a me
quia ipsi me avolare fecerunt
avolare fecerunt
Translation
Thou art beautiful, O my love,
Sweet and comely as Jerusalem,
Terrible as an army set in array.
Turn away thy eyes from me,
for they have made me flee away
Lunar Lullaby
The moon settles in the dusky sky.
The gentle eyes of the north star
rest upon your sleeping face
and the heavens gaze upon you.
You are my radiant, my celestial child.
As night is drowned by morning
you remain at my side,
accompanying the sunrise
until night swells again across the sky
Then dreaming, you return to the stars
All Through the Night
Sleep, my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels, God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft, the drowsy hours are creeping
Hill and vale, in slumber sleeping,
I, my loving vigil keeping
All through the night.
While the moon, her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
O’er thy spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night.
Still, Still, Still
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed,
The world is sleeping,
Holy Star its vigil keeping,
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes
Let sleep surround you,
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth.
Dream, dream, dream
Of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number
Watch you as you sweetly slumber.
Dream, dream, dream
Of the joyous day to come.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o’er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o’er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long
beneath the angel strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong
and man at war with man hears not
the love-song which they bring.
O hush your noise, ye men of strife
and hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet bards foretold,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come round the age of gold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Minuit, Chrétiens
(melody: O Holy Night)
Minuit, chrétiens, c’est l’heure solennelle
Où l’Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu’à nous,
Pour effacer la tache originelle,
Et de son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance,
À cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple, à genoux, attends ta délivrance
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
De notre foi que la lumière ardente
Nous guide tous au berceau de l’Enfant,
Comme autrefois une étoile brillante
Y conduisit les chefs de l’Orient.
Le Roi des rois naît dans une humble crèche;
Puissants du jour, fiers de votre grandeur,
À votre orgueil, c’est de là que Dieu prêche.
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave,
La Terre est libre et le Ciel est ouvert.
Il voit un frère où n’était qu’un esclave,
L’amour unit ceux qu’enchaînait le fer.
Qui lui dira notre reconnaissance?
C’est pour nous tous qu’il naît, qu’il souffre et meurt.
Peuple, debout! Chante ta délivrance.
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
Translation:
Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour
When God as man descended among us
To expunge the stain of original sin
And to put an end to the wrath of his father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night which gives us a savior.
People, on your knees, await your deliverance.
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!
The ardent light of our Faith
Guides us all to the cradle of the infant,
As in ancient times a brilliant star
Conducted the Magi there from the orient.
The King of kings was born in a humble manger;
O mighty ones of today, proud of your grandeur,
It is to your pride that God preaches.
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
The Redeemer has broken all shackles.
The earth is free and heaven is open.
He sees a brother were there was once but a slave;
Love unites those who restrain the sword.
Who will tell him our gratitude?
It is for us all that he was born, that he suffered and died.
People, stand up, sing your deliverance!
Christmas! Christmas! Let us sing the Redeemer!
Christmas! Christmas! Let us sing the Redeemer
Orion
Most mourn the falling leaves,
The weight of death the ground receives.
Yet you rise in Winter’s Chill,
And in the gloom you still believe.
Most mourn the setting sun,
The aging day is overcome.
Yet you rise in Twilight Still,
And night reveals you one by one.
Carefully the constellations Bend their knees to your dictation.
Standing guard with quiver ready, Stance you’ve held for centuries steady.
Warrior high above the earth, You tell us of our worth.
You tell us of our worth.
Most mourn the sinking mast,
The ocean’s pull into the vast.
Yet you rise at Mem’ry’s Will,
And you will stand on ages past.
Carefully the constellations bend their knees to your dictation.
Standing guard with quiver ready, Stance you’ve held for centuries steady.
Warrior high above the earth, You tell us of our worth.
You tell us of our worth.
Carefully we bend our knees, Standing guard
Warrior high above the earth, You tell us of our worth.
You tell us of our worth.
Stars
Alone in the night
On a dark hill
With pines around me
Spicy and still,
And a heaven full of stars
over my head
White and topaz
And misty red;
Myriads with beating
hearts of fire
That aeons
Cannot vex or tire;
Up the dome of heaven
like a great hill
I watch them marching
Stately and still.
And I know that I
Am honored to be
Witness
Of so much majesty.
Song for a Winter’s Night
The lamp is burnin’ low upon my table top
The snow is softly falling.
The air is still in the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly calling.
If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two,
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter night with you.
The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty.
I read again between the lines upon the page
The words of love you sent me.
If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too,
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter night with you.
The firе is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are lifting.
Thе morning light steals across my window pane
Where webs of snow are drifting.
If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two,
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter night with you
And to be once again with you.
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth