A Great and Mighty wonder

The music to the old Christmas carol 'A great and mighty wonder' was composed by the talented German composer Michael Praetorius (1571 - 1621). Praetorius had been a pupil of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and eventually became a Lutheran church composer. Michael Praetorius is famous for writing the treatise Syntagma Musicum in 1619 in which he compiled vast information on German music. The lyrics were by Anatolius and Translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1862.John Mason Neale was born in London, the son of a Minister and was educated at Cambridge and he was ordained in May 1842. He was famous for writing the words of Good King Wenceslas.

A Great and Mighty wonder

Christmas Carol Lyrics
 

A great and mighty wonder
Our Christmas festal brings:
On earth a lowly infant,
Behold the King of kings!

The Word is made incarnate,
Descending from on high;
And cherubim sing anthems
To shepherds from the sky.

And we with them, triumphant,
Repeat the hymn again:
"To God on high be glory,
And peace on earth to men!"

While thus they sing your Monarch,
Those bright angelic bands,
Rejoice, ye vales and mountains!
Ye oceans, clap your hands!

Since all He comes to ransom,
By all be He adored;
The Infant born in Bethlehem,
The Savior and the Lord!

And idol forms shall perish,
And error shall decay,
And Christ shall wield His scepter,
Our Lord and God for aye.

A Great and Mighty wonder
Christmas Carol Lyrics