12 Days of Christmas Hymns – The Wexford Carol

My first selection is one of my favorites. “The Wexford Carol” has such a haunting melody and it’s one that I find myself thinking about throughout the season. The lyrics are beautiful and a great Christmastime meditation.

My favorite version of this tune is Loreena McKennitt’s, but I’ve had no luck finding it to share with you. Trust me though — look it up. It’s on her To Drive the Cold Winter Away album, which is a great purchase altogether. Nothing wrong with Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma though.

The Wexford Carol
a traditional Irish Christmas carol

Good people all, this Christmas-time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas day;
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass;
From every door repelled alas!
As long foretold, their refuge all
Was but an humble ox’s stall.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star,
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay,
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah was,
They humbly cast them at his feet,
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep;
To whom God’s angels did appear,
Which put the shepherds in great fear.
‘Prepare and go’, the angles said.
‘To Bethlehem, be not afraid:
For there you’ll find, this happy morn,
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born.

With thankful heart and joyful mind,
The shepherds went the babe to find,
And as God’s angel had foretold,
They did our saviour Christ behold.
Within a manger he was laid,
And by his side the virgin maid,
Attending on the Lord of life,
Who came on earth to end all strife.

Related posts:

1. Snowed In, OR How We Spent Our Christmas Eve During the Oklahoma Blizzard
2. My Favorite Christmas Cartoon – The Small One
3. The Christmas Story According to 3-year-old Me