Any Christmas song that talks about angels is a favorite of mine. This song is no exception for me.
Hark The Herald Angels Sing is a beautiful Christmas carol that I knew had to be on this CD of songs.
It is a fun and exciting song to play with an excellent message to go along with it.
It is a very energetic song with joy and adoration for the newborn king, Jesus.
Track #8 of 15 songs on Christmas Piano.
Available at:
History
The As Charles Wesley walked to church one morning in 1730, he wrote the words of Hark The Herald Angels Sing. An organist by the name of Waltham Abbey, set the words to music and it was finally published in 1856. The current day song that we know was a result of the work of not only Charles Wesley but George Whitfield, Felix Mendessohn and W.H. Cummings.
Charles Wesley’s original song was made up of ten four-line verses, rather than the eight-lline longer verses currently. I have a different source that says it was first published in 1739, so there is a conflict in my research that I cannot resolve at this time. I believe that the difference is that it took many years with different people to perfect it and get it into the version we know today. George Whitfield also cut the final verses, which are now mostly forgotten.
These verses that were cut are as follows:
Come, desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conquering seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display thy saving power,
Ruin’d nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to thine.
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp thy 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,
Form’d in each believing heart.
Source: 1) Christianity Today 2) Christmas Carols Songbook
Lyrics To Hark The Herald Angels Sing
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 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!
Come, desire of nations come, Fix in us thy humble home.
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!
Download or Listen at: