The Snow Lay on the Ground

The snow lay on the ground,
The star shone bright,
When Christ, our Lord was born
On Christmas night.

'Twas Mary, daughter pure
Of holy Anne,
That brought into this world
The God-made man.

She laid Him in a stall,
At Bethlehem,
The ass and oxen shared
The roof with them.

Saint Joseph, too, was by,
To tend the Child,
To guard Him and protect
His mother mild.

The angels hovered round,
And sung this song,
Venite adoremus
Dominum.

And then that manger poor
Became a throne:
For He, whom Mary bore,
Was God, the Son.

O come, then, let us join
The Heavenly host,
To praise the Father, Son
And Holy Ghost.