Famous Christmas Carols – Story Behind the Song – “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

We sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” Christmas morning December 2016. This was one of those wonderful Christmas Days that fell on Sunday and Christians joined together to worship the Christ and sing praises as the heavenly chorus did ca 2016 years ago. Our pastor pointed out that “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”,  written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church, in 1739,  is an excellent song to sing on Christmas because of the message it has. As we sang I began to listen to the familiar words. 

The angels herald the birth of our Savior and Lord, Emmanuel!

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King,
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconcile.
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 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.