Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

As performed by Bobby Horton

Homespun Songs of the Christmas Season

Website: http://BobbyHorton.com/

The original words to this favorite Christmas carol were published in 1739 as “Hymn for Christmas-Day” by Methodist evangelist Charles Wesley.  Some of Wesley’s poetic words were altered by fellow evangelist George Whitefield (to Wesley’s dismay) then set to music in 1855 when William H. Cummings adapted music that was originally composed by Felix Mendelssohn.

Whitefield’s (pronounced “WIT-field”) commanding voice enabled him to preach an estimated 18,000 sermons throughout his life to crowds as large as 30,000.  In addition to revival-style evangelism Whitefield is remembered for his friendships with Benjamin Franklin and fellow ministers John and Charles Wesley.  In the early 1740’s, Whitefield rode a horse from New York City to Charleston, South Carolina, the longest trek via horseback in America by anyone to that date.  He also began an orphanage that he named “Bethesda” in Savannah, Georgia.  One of the first ministers in America to preach to slaves, Whitefield approved of slave labor as being necessary to develop the South’s newly settled lands.  Whitefield’s orphanage is today a private school for boys known as Bethesda Academy with a majority African-American student body.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” quickly became a popular Christmas carol in both the North and South during the Civil War.  It is still a favorite hymn to this day.

Charles Wesley’s poem (1739)

Hymn for Christmas-Day

1 Hark how all the welkin rings

“Glory to the King of kings,

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconcil’d!”

2 Joyful all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies,

Universal nature say

“Christ the Lord is born to day!

3 Christ, by highest heav’n ador’d,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

Late in time behold him come,

Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

4 Veil’d in flesh, the Godhead see,

Hail th’ incarnate deity!

Pleas’d as man with men t’ appear

Jesus, our Immanuel here!

5 Hail the heav’nly

Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

Ris’n with healing in his wings.

6 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.

7 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.

8 Now display thy saving pow’r,

Ruin’d nature now restore,

Now in mystic union join

Thine to ours, and ours to thine.

9 Adam's likeness, Lord, efface,

Stamp thy image in its place.

Second Adam from above,

Reinstate us in thy love.

10 Let us thee, though lost, regain,

Thee, the life, the inner man:

O, to all thyself impart,

Form'd in each believing heart.

George Whitefield’s alteration (1753)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

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 th' angelic host proclaim,

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born 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 th' incarnate Deity,

pleased with us in flesh to dwell,

Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born 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 we no more may die,

born to raise us from the earth,

born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born King!"

George Whitefield

William H. Cummings

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