Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine

"joseph dearest, joseph mine,
Help me cradle the child divine;
God reward thee and all that's thine
In paradise,"
So prays the mother mary.

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He came among us at christmastide,
At christmastide, in bethlehem;
Men shall bring him from far and wide
Love's diadem: jesus, jesus,
Lo, he comes, and loves, and saves, and frees us!

"gladly, dear one, lady mine,
Help i cradle this child of thine;
God's own light on us both shall shine
In paradise,
As prays the mother mary."

[chorus]

Peace to all that have goodwill!
God, who heaven and earth doth fill,
Comes to turn us away from ill,
And lies so still
Within the crib of mary.

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All shall come and bow the knee,
Wise and happy their souls shall be.
Loving such a divinity
As all may see
In jesus, son of mary.

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Now is born emmanual,
Prophesied once by ezekiel,
Promised mary by gabriel,
Ah, who can tell
Thy praises, son of mary.

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Thou my lazy heart hast stirred,
Thou, the father's eternal word,
Greater than aught that ear has heard,
Thou tiny bird
Of love, thou son of mary.

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Sweet and lovely little one,
Thou princely, beautiful, god's own son,
Without thee all of us were undone;
Our love is won
By thing, o son of mary.

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Little man, and god indeed,
Little and poor, thou art all we need;
We will follow where thou dost lead,
And we will heed
Our brother, born of mary.

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