God's Roadmap

Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 TPT).


Thursday, December 8, 2022

The Inspired Lyrics of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

 Celebrating Christmas Carols Part One



by Barbara Latta

I love Christmas carols! A lot of the newer songs are great and beautiful, but in my opinion the old hymns we sing year after year are the best. But because we sing them year after year, the meaning behind the words can get lost in the tune.

Read the lyrics to Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and absorb what these inspired words say to your soul. This song proclaims the entire gospel message, and we should sing this old song all year. The words were penned by Charles Wesley, a Methodist minister who preached in the 1700’s. He wrote this message as a poem and George Whitefield later put the poem to music.

View these words with new eyes. The emphasis is mine to reflect how this wonderful Christmas hymn shares the reason Christ was born.

Hark! The herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled:

Joyful all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies,

With the angelic host proclaim,

Christ is born in Bethlehem;

Hark! the Herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

 

Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

Late in time behold him come,

Offspring of a virgin’s womb!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,

Hail the incarnate deity.

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus, our Emmanuel:

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

 

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

Risen with healing in his wings;

Mild, he lays his glory by,

Born that man no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth;

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

 

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Feel free to share what they mean to you.

The inspired lyrics of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (click to tweet)

13 comments:

  1. I love Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. This is one of the songs that we sang at a Christmas luncheon this week. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This song presents the gospel message abd goves us hope because of the birth of Christ. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

      Delete
  2. I love Christmas Carols--both heaing and singing them. "Hark! The Heald Angels Sing" is one of my many favorites. It shares the glory of our Savior's birth in joyful praise. Thanks for sharing about this lovely Christmas hymn. Merry Christmas, Barbara and family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have many favorites and this one is on that list. Thanks for sharing, Katherine, and Merry Christmas and blessings to you too!

      Delete
  3. I like the way you break these lyrics down for us and highlight the more important ones. Today, this is my favorite. I attended 3 Christmas events last week and Hark the Herald Angels Sing was presented at each one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Merry Christmas, Barbara!
      Candyce

      Delete
    2. These Christmas hymns are so anointed. They do present the reason Christ was born. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

      Delete
  4. Yvonne Morgan12/15/22, 2:00 PM

    It is a beautiful song. We have not sung it yet at church but hopefully soon. Thanks Barbara

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame we only sing these at Christmas. The message gives us so much hope. Thanks for sharing, Yvonne. Blessings and Merry Christmas!

      Delete
  5. Like you, I enjoy not only singing these carols but also looking at the meaning in the words. There is souch biblical truth within them. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right, Vicki, there is so much truth prented to us in these songs. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

      Delete
  6. Am right there with you Ms. Barbara. While I can enjoy the more modern worship songs and CHRISTmas songs, there's something about the old hymns and carols that will always draw me to them. I think they've become engrained in my heart, much like God's Word itself. Merry CHRISTmas sweet friend and I'm so glad you're home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Merry Christmas to you too and thanks so much for sharing. I'm glad to be home too! Blessings!

      Delete