The Wexford Carol is one of the oldest carols still being sung today dating from as far back as 1100 AD. It is at its core a Nativity carol and ends with the following last stanza which reads
“Come, let us then our tributes pay
To our good God, as well we may,
For all His grace and mercy shown
Through His Son to us till then unknown;
And when through life we wind our way
’Mid trials and suff’rings, day by day,
In faith and hope, whate’er befall,
We’ll wait in peace His holy call”
What a great encouragement this Advent season.
Lyrics
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
Then let us all both sing and 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 right well what came to pass
From every door repelled, alas,
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox’s stall.
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 angels 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 Savior Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending to the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife.
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 lay
They humbly cast them at his feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.
Come, let us then our tributes pay
To our good God, as well we may,
For all His grace and mercy shown
Through His Son to us till then unknown;
And when through life we wind our way
’Mid trials and suff’rings, day by day,
In faith and hope, whate’er befall,
We’ll wait in peace His holy call
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