1 All praise to thee, eternal Lord,
Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;
Choosing a manger for thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are thine alone!

2 Once did the skies before thee bow;
A virgin's arms contain thee now:
Angels, who did in thee rejoice,
Now listen to thy infant voice.

3 A little child, thou art our guest,
That weary ones in thee may rest;
Forlorn and lowly is thy birth,
That we may rise to heaven from earth.

4 Thou comest in the darksome night,
To make us children of the light;
To make us, in the realms divine,
Like thy own angels round thee shine.

5 All this for us thy love hath done,
By this to thee our love is won;
For this we tune our cheerful lays,
And tell our thanks in songs of praise.