The Snow Lay On the Ground

Representative Text

1 The snow lay on the ground, the stars shone bright,
When Christ the Lord was born on Christmas night.
Venite, adoremus Dominum,
Venite, adoremus Dominum.

Refrain:
Venite, adoremus Dominum,
Venite, adoremus Dominum.

2 'Twas Mary, Virgin 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. [Refrain]

3 Saint Joseph, too was near to tend the child,
To guard him, and protect his mother mild:
The angels hover'd round, and sang this song:
Venite, adoremus Dominum. [Refrain]

4 And thus that manger poor became a throne;
For he whom Mary bore was God the Son.
O come, then, let us join the heav'nly host,
To praise the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. [Refrain]


Source: Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #101

Notes

The snow lay on the ground. [Christmas.] This appears to be a West of England traditional carol, and is given as such in R. R. Chope's Carols, 1875, No. 44, where it begins "The snow lay deep upon the ground." In the Crown of Jesus, 1862, No. 146, it begins “The snow lay on the ground" and is marked, with regard to the tune, as "Christmas Carol, sung in Rome by the Pifferari from the Abruzzi Mountains." The text of 1862 is in the Arundel Hymnal, 1902, and many others. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #6165
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 43 of 43)
Page Scan

American Catholic Hymnal #239

Angelic Songs #d202

TextPage Scan

Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #101

Cantica Sacra #d79

Carols for a Merry Christmas and a Joyous Easter #d24

Page Scan

Carols Old and Carols New #416

Page Scan

Carols Old and Carols New #513

Page Scan

Catholic Church Hymnal with Music #14a

Page Scan

Catholic Church Hymnal with Music #14b

Catholic School Chimes Part I #d44

Chapel Service, Cadet Hymns and Songs #d85

Children's Hymn Book and Sodality Manual #d69

Page Scan

Children's Praise #70

Text InfoTextAudio

Glory to God #116

Page Scan

Hymns and Songs for Catholic Children #23

Page Scan

In Excelsis Gloria #4

Text

Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #354

Text

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #319

TextPage Scan

Laudis Corona #29

TextPage Scan

One in Faith #401

Page Scan

S. Mary's hymnal #24

St. Francis Hymnal and Choir Manual #d343

Text

The Book of Praise #157

The Catholic Hymnal and Service Book. Organ ed. #d156

The Catholic Hymnal and Service Book. Pew ed. #d159

The Children's Hymnal #d257

The Church School Hymnal #d59

Page Scan

The Church School Hymnal with Tunes #27

The Complete Sodality Manual and Hymn Book #d90

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #6165

Page Scan

The De La Salle Hymnal #9

TextAudio

The Faith We Sing #2093

TextPage Scan

The Hymnal 1982 #110

Page Scan

The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America 1940 #41

Page Scan

The Hymnary with Tunes #97

Text

The Presbyterian Hymnal #57

Page Scan

The St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book. Singers' ed., Melody ed. #8

The Sunday School Chorister #d91

The Sunday School Chorister #d105

The Sunday School Chorister #3

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #163

Exclude 32 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us