"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" (6 Dec 1850) 
Hymn
Tune: CAROL
Words by Rev. Edmund Hamilton Sears, 1810-1876 
[from the Unitarian periodical the "Christian Rigister"
p. 206, published in Boston, 29 Dec 1849]
Music by Richard Storrs Willis, 1819-1900
[from "Study No. 23," originally set to the words
of "See Israel's Gentle Shepherd Stand" in
Willis' "Church Chorals and Choir Studies," p. 93)
[No printing of the words and music together
has been found prior to 6 Oct 1910, as per
James J. Fuld, p. 308,  in "The Book of World-Famous Music"
New York: Dover Publications, 4th Edition, 1995]

[Source: reprinted as No. 193 in "Praise! Our Songs and
Hymns" (1979)]

1. 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 heav'n's all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

2. Still thru the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heav'nly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov'ring wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

4. For lo, the days are hast'niing on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the evercicling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And all the world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.