Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven- praising God:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,” they sang, “and peace on earth for all those pleasing him.”  Luke 2:13 and 14 [The Living Bible]

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is rich in Scriptural allusions and teachings.  It has many references to the Messianic prophecies pointing to the birth of the Messiah.  This wonderful carol also includes theological themes of what Christ did for us. It touches on Jesus’ incarnation; Jesus, who is God, also became man; His atonement for our sins; His resurrection; the fall of man; and sanctification, cleansing us from sin. It is many sermons in one to bless us each Advent day of this Christmas season.

We can bask in God’s blessing to us in that not only did God give us peace on earth but peace with God.  Jesus came to reconcile us to God.

1. Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new born King
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.

2. 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 with men as man to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.

 

3. Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Life and light to all He brings,
Ris’n 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.

4. Come Desire of nations come,
Fix in us Thy humble home:
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

5. Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

Charles Wesley, known as the godfather of English hymns and later inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame, wrote the lyrics to “Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing” in 1739.  Charles was the younger brother of John Wesley who began the Methodist movement.
The carol was first published as
‘Hark, how all the welkin rings/Glory to the King of Kings’.
 But in 1753 George Whitefield who was Calvinistically inclined, revised the first two lines to
“Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new born King”
This carol tells the full Gospel story so well but what the carol sported in words it lacked in melody. Wesley made it known that he wanted only somber music to accompany his lyrics so the song was exceedingly slow and boring.

A hundred years later, in 1840, Felix Mendelssohn, the gifted composer wrote his beautiful cantata “Festival Song” to help celebrate the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg.
Years after Wesley and Mendelssohn were already gone to glory, William Cummings joined the glorious Mendelssohn music with Wesley’s profound words. We can thank Cummings for the beautiful combination we sing today.  The well loved carol is even heard in the popular James Stewart movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”