Over Bethl’em’s Hillside

Over Bethl’em’s hillside beamed a glorious star,
With its radiant beauty all so fair
Led the wondrous wise men to the manger bed,
Where the King of kings was cradled there.

Refrain

Waiting shepherds with their flocks at midnight
Saw the radiance flooding o’er the earth,
Heard the heav’nly hosts in chorus singing
Blessèd news of Christ the Savior’s birth.
Earth responded to that heav’nly message,
Peace on earth, goodwill, goodwill to men;
In exultant strain the chorus ended;
O that earth might hear that song again!

On that night the angel bands with loud acclaim
Brought the earth the words of joy and peace,
Telling of the Savior who to earth came down
And His love that never more shall cease.

Refrain

Bless�d happy tidings to the world proclaim:
Christ the King eternal comes today;
Comes to earth so lowly as a little Child,
In our hearts in peace and love to stay.

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“Peace on earth, goodwill to men” the angels sang
On that Christmas night so long ago,
When the holy Babe was born in Bethlehem
That the world God’s matchless love might know.

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Author: Unknown

No clear attribution in the provided text or common hymnals. The style, language, and use of the 'è' in 'Blessèd' suggest a late-19th or early-20th-century American gospel-song writer, but no specific name (such as Fanny Crosby, who wrote many similar carols) matches this exact text.