Welcome to Anthem 44 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to [email protected].

It was time for an unaccompanied anthem this week - in fact another Christmas Carol. You won't be surprised to hear that the words come from Isaac Watts yet again. It's a lullaby sung by a mother, recalling the infant Jesus and Mary. From my experience of singing many carols, I think it's a little unusual. However, it's rather effective, in my opinion.

Here are the words I chose:

Words for Anthem 44:

Hush, my dear, lie still and slum­ber, Holy an­gels guard thy bed, Heav’nly bless­ings with­out num­ber, Gently fall­ing on thy head. How much bet­ter thou’rt at­tend­ed, Than the Son of God could be, When from Hea­ven He des­cend­ed, And be­came a child like thee!

Soft and easy is thy cra­dle, Coarse and hard thy Sav­ior lay: When His birth­place was a stable, And His soft­est bed was hay. Oh, to tell the won­drous sto­ry, How His foes ab­used their king; How they killed the Lord of glo­ry, Makes me an­gry while I sing.

Hush, my child, I did not chide thee, Though my song may seem so hard; ’Tis thy mo­ther sits be­side thee, And her arms shall be thy guard. May’st thou learn to know and fear Him, Love and serve Him all thy days; Then to dwell for­ev­er near Him, Tell His love and sing His praise.