Tag Archives: Christmas

Christmas Hymns With Birds – The Friendly Beasts

by

0

Baudet Donkey - Shaky and Brown

Baudet Donkey – Shaky and Brown

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7 NKJV)

Words: Un­known au­thor, 12th Cen­tu­ry; trans­lat­ed from French to Engl­ish by an anon­y­mous trans­lat­or.

Music: Or­i­ent­is Par­ti­bus, med­ie­val French mel­o­dy

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Birds in Christmas Hymns

The Friendly Beasts

Jesus, our Brother, strong and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude,
And the friendly beasts around Him stood,
Jesus, our Brother, strong and good.

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“I carried His mother uphill and down,
I carried His mother to Bethlehem town;
I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

“I,” said the cow, all white and red,
“I gave Him my manger for His bed,
I gave Him hay to pillow His head;
I,” said the cow, all white and red.

“I,” said the sheep with curly horn,
“I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm,
He wore my coat on Christmas morn;
I,” said the sheep with curly horn.

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) by Quy Tran

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) by Quy Tran

“I,” said the dove, from the rafters high,
“I cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry,
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I;
I,” said the dove, from the rafters high.

Thus all the beasts, by some good spell,
In the stable dark were glad to tell
Of the gifts they gave Emmanuel,
The gifts they gave Emmanuel.

‘I,’ was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
Jesus our brother, kind and good.
*

More Birds in Hymns

See ~ Wordless Birds

Most information from The Cyber Hymnal – The Friendly Beasts

*

Christmas Hymns With Birds – I Wonder As I Wander

by

1

Crane Migration over Israel

Crane Migration over Israel

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)

John Jacob Niles, 1933  – Collector of the music

Music – I Wonder as I Wander, Appalachian carol by Carl Rütti (1949 – )

Birds in Christmas Hymns

I Wonder As I Wander

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on’ry people like you and like I…
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus ’twas in a cow’s stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall,
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.

Mallards flying off by Ian

Mallards flying off by Ian

John Jacob Niles (Dates B-D) Collected by John Jacob Niles in Murphy, NC in July 1933 from a young traveling evangelist Annie Morgan. According to Niles, he asked her to sing the song repeatedly until he had memorized it. It was published in his 1934 Songs of the Hill-Folk. Written in a minor key, it’s qualities of pensiveness make it one of today’s most popular carols.

*

*

More Birds in Hymns

See ~ Sharing The Gospel

Wordless Birds

Most information from The Hymns and Carols of Christmas – I Wonder As I Wander

*

Christmas Hymns With Birds – Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

by

2

American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by J Fenton

American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by J Fenton

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. (Psalms 71:23 KJV)

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Words by Hen­ry J. van Dyke, 1907. Van Dyke wrote this hymn while stay­ing at the home of Har­ry A. Gar­field at Wil­liams Col­lege, Mass­a­chu­setts. It was first pub­lished in the Pres­by­ter­i­an Hymn­al in 1911. It al­so ap­peared in the Po­ems of Hen­ry van Dyke, 1911. Van Dyke wrote:

“These vers­es are sim­ple ex­press­ions of com­mon Christ­ian feel­ings and de­sires in this pre­sent time—hymns of to­day that may be sung to­ge­ther by peo­ple who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of sci­ence will de­stroy re­li­gion, or any re­vo­lu­tion on earth over­throw the king­dom of hea­ven. There­fore this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.”

Music: Hymn to Joy, from the 9th Sym­pho­ny of Lud­wig van Beet­ho­ven; adapt­ed by Ed­ward Hodg­es, 1824

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sunward in the triumph song of life.

*

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

More Birds in Hymns

See ~ Christmas Gospel Presentation

Most information from The Cyber Hymnal – Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

*

Christmas Hymns With Birds – Christmas Brings Joy To Every Heart

by

2

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) babies ©©coracii

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) babies ©©coracii

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NKJV)

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Words by Bern­hardt S. In­ge­mann (1789-1862), 1840 (Julen har bragt velsignet bud); trans­lat­ed from Dan­ish to Eng­lish by Ce­cil Cow­drey.

Music: Christ­mas Brings Joy, Christ­oph E. Weyse (1774-1842), 1841

Christmas Brings Joy To Every Heart

Christmas brings joy to every heart,
Sets old and young rejoicing,
What angels sang once to all on earth,
Oh, hear the children voicing.
Bright is the tree with lights aglow,
Like birds that perch together,
The child that holdeth Christmas dear
Shall keep these joys forever.

Joy comes to the all the world today,
To halls and cottage hasting,
Come, sparrow and dove, from roof tree tall,
And share our Christmas feasting.
Dance, little child, on mother’s knee,
The lovely day is dawning,
The road to paradise is found
The blessèd Christmas morning.

Once to this earth our Savior came,
An infant poor and lowly,
To open for us those gardens fair
Where dwell His angels holy.
Christmas joy He bringeth us,
The Christ child King of heaven,
“To every little child,” He saith,
“Shall angel wings be given.”

Emerald Dove by Birdway

Most information from The Cyber Hymnal

See ~ Christmas Gospel Presentation

More ~ Birds in Hymns

*

Christmas Hymns With Birds – Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

by

2

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) by Nikhil

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) by Nikhil

A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. (Psalms 72:1-2 KJV)

Words by James Mont­gom­ery (1771-1854), 1821

[This hymn] is a me­tri­cal ver­sion of the Se­ven­ty-se­cond Psalm. It was writ­ten as a Christ­mas hymn and was first sung on Christ­mas Day, 1821, at a great con­vo­ca­tion of the Mo­ra­vi­ans in their set­tle­ment at Ful­neck. At a Wes­ley­an mis­sion­a­ry meet­ing, held in Li­ver­pool on Ap­ril 14 of the fol­low­ing year, 1822, when Doc­tor Adam Clarke pre­sid­ed, Mont­gom­ery made an ad­dress and closed it by the re­cit­al of this hymn with all of its verses…Doc­tor Clarke lat­er used it in his fa­mous Com­ment­a­ry in con­nect­ion with his dis­cuss­ion of the Se­ven­ty-se­cond Psalm.

Music: Ell­a­combe, Ge­sang­buch der Herz­ogl. Wirt­em­berg­isch­en Ka­thol­isch­en Hof­ka­pel­le (Würt­tem­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1784); adapt­ed & har­mo­nized by Wil­liam H. Monk in the 1868 ap­pen­dix to Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, num­ber 366

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free;
To take away transgression and rule in equity.

He comes in succor speedy to those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy, and bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing, their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying, were precious in His sight.

By such shall He be fearèd while sun and moon endure;
Beloved, obeyed, reverèd; for He shall judge the poor
Through changing generations, with justice, mercy, truth,
While stars maintain their stations, or moons renew their youth.

He shall come down like showers upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, spring in His path to birth.
Before Him, on the mountains, shall peace, the herald, go,
And righteousness, in fountains, from hill to valley flow.

Arabia’s desert ranger to Him shall bow the knee;
The Ethiopian stranger His glory come to see;
With offerings of devotion ships from the isles shall meet,
To pour the wealth of oceans in tribute at His feet.

Kings shall fall down before Him, and gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing;
For He shall have dominion o’er river, sea and shore,
Far as the eagle’s pinion or dove’s light wing can soar.

For Him shall prayer unceasing and daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end:
The mountain dews shall nourish a seed in weakness sown,
Whose fruit shall spread and flourish and shake like Lebanon.

O’er every foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest;
From age to age more glorious, all blessing and all blest.
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever, His name to us is Love.

*

Eurasian Collard Dove by Reinier Munguia

More Birds in Hymns

Birds in Hymns – Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

See ~ Christmas Gospel Presentation

Most information from The Cyber Hymnal – Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

*

Christmas Hymns With Birds – Carol of the Birds

by

1

American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by J Fenton

American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by J Fenton

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Written as – El Cant Dels Ocells – Traditional Catalonian Carol

Translator Unknown

Birds in Christmas Hymns

Carol of the Birds

1. Upon this holy night,

When God’s great star appears,
And floods the earth with brightness
Birds’ voices rise in song
And warbling all night long
Express their glad heart’s lightness
Birds’ voices rise in song
And warbling all night long
Express their glad heart’s lightness

Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus mexicanus) by Michael Woodruff

Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus mexicanus) by Michael Woodruff

2. The Nightingale is first
To bring his song of cheer,
And tell us of His glad – ness:
Jesus, our Lord, is born
To free us from all sin
And banish ev’ry sadness!
Jesus, our Lord is born
To free us from all sin
And banish ev’ry sadness!

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

3. The answ’ring Sparrow cries:
“God comes to earth this day
Amid the angels flying.”
Trilling in sweetest tones,
The Finch his Lord now owns:
“To Him be all thanksgiving.”
Trilling in sweetest tones,
The Finch his Lord now owns:
“To Him be all thanksgiving.”

Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara koenigi) Pixdaus

Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara koenigi) Pixdaus

4. The Partridge adds his note:
“To Bethlehem I’ll fly,
Where in the stall He’s lying.
There, near the manger blest,
I’ll build myself a nest,
And sing my love undying.
There, near the manger blest,
I’ll build myself a nest,
And sing my love undying.

Photo

*

Found another version of the Carol of the Birds and it appears to be Australian Birds.

The Carol of the Birds
(Wheeler/James)

Brolga (Grus rubicunda) by Ian

Brolga (Grus rubicunda) by Ian

Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing
Lifting their feet like warhorses prancing
Up to the sun the woodlarks go winging
Faint in the dawn light echoes their singing
Crana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) by Ian

Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) by Ian

Down where the tree ferns grow by the river
There where the waters sparkle and quiver
Deep in the gullies bell-birds are chiming
Softly and sweetly their lyric notes rhyming
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

Silver-crowned Friarbird (Philemon argenticeps) by Ian

Silver-crowned Friarbird (Philemon argenticeps) by Ian

Friar birds sip the nectar of flowers
Currawongs chant in wattle tree bowers
In the blue ranges lorikeets calling
Carols of bush birds rising and falling
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.
*

More Birds in Hymns

See ~ Share The Gospel

Most information from The Hymns and Carols of Christmas – Name of Hymn with Link to it

*

“Movie On Cwismus”

by

2

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7 NKJV)

Here is a special video sent to me by James J. S. Johnson. It is about kids telling the story of Cwismus (Christmas) by the Mobberly Kids. Enjoy.

Good News

FBT Little Quartet – Christmas Carols

by

2

A friend sent me this and thought I would share it.

O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
(Psalms 67:4 KJV)

Merry Christmas from Golden Eagle

by

2

Song Sparrow by Ray

Song Sparrow by Ray

Merry Christmas from Golden Eagle

“His EYE is on the sparrow and I know He (Jesus) watches me!” This is the Golden Eagle and I just landed in a muddy pond. My wings are wet, my feathers are ruffled, and my left talon is crushed. What am I to do? Look up to God because He is looking down on me! Boys and girls did you know that we are open books to God? Why He knows everything about us and then some!

Golden Eagle ©PD

Golden Eagle ©PD

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3) This is the time of year when that list is pulled out. You know that list of boys and girls, that naughty and nice list? They say that eyes from the North Pole are watching us. Well, I don’t know about that. I have circled the North Pole way up in the atmosphere and all I could see was a bunch of my fellow penguins. I could be wrong; they might live down in Antarctica. The point is Jesus IS watching from His throne in the Heavens!

Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) by Ian 6

Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) by Ian

FOR PROMOTION COMETH NEITHER FROM THE EAST, NOR FROM THE WEST, NOR FROM THE SOUTH. (Psalm 75:6) Guys, that means it comes from the NORTH! That’s where God’s throne is in Heaven. The New Jerusalem, the golden city with the pearly gates.

Light of Christ ©©

We need to live in the white light of Jesus Christ. We need to live like Abraham Lincoln. Remember, “Honest Abe” from school? Be honest with God and honest with yourself. Read Romans chapter 2. In Romans Paul talks about our consciences. We know when we do something wrong like telling a lie. We know that’s wrong, we do not need someone to tell us that is wrong. Why?

“Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” (Romans 2:15)

God shines a spot-light into our souls, our hearts, our innermost being. “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.” (Proverbs 16:2)

spotlight-c2a9c2a9

“Jesus did not commit himself unto them…FOR HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN MAN.” Jesus knows each and everything about you. There are no secrets with God. You cannot hide anything from Him, so live your life in His very Presence every day!

The Bible says, “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.” (Ecclesiastes 10:20) The expression, “a little birdie told me” probably comes from this Bible verse. The reason a bird can tell things is because God knows everything! He reads our thoughts, He knows our motives, and He is keeping track of everything we say or do!

Bring all your thoughts to Jesus by reading His book, THE BIBLE. Begin to think like God thinks. Turn your eyes on Jesus and experience what God has for you!

And bring “INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.” (II Corinthians 10:5)

Reading the Bible

Reading the Bible

Read your Bibles and OBEY them! If you do, you will come out on top. Because God will “bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

And you know about those gifts? Jesus will share His whole Creation with you in the future and you will have many gracious GIFTS from the Lord Jesus Christ. This Christmas give Jesus the gift of your heart and life by accepting HIS FREE GIFT OF SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE!

Merry Christmas from the Golden Eagle!

*

Golden Eagle

Kids, You Are Special

ABC’s Of The Gospel

*