Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
{You have probably been enjoying Christmas music at church and on your radio since Thanksgiving – or not. For the next five days (December 20-25 excluding Saturday), I will be adding to your joy or misery by giving some context and historical background to a few of the most popular Christian Christmas hymns.}
A long list of artists, including Bob Dylan (yes Dylan), Jewel, Charlie Brown, The Everly Brothers, Neil Diamond, Darius Rucker, and Willie Nelson have covered Charles Wesley’s hymn “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” Many others could have been added. The list is not endless but it's really long. Wesley could have never dreamed what would become of this song he wrote not long after his Christian conversion experience.
The original poem had ten stanzas and was titled “A Hymn for Christmas Day.” Thus, I am sending this out today, December 25th. Read through the lyrics and then I will make a couple of brief comments about them.
HARK how all the Welkin rings
"Glory to the King of Kings,
"Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild,
"GOD and Sinners reconcil'd!
Joyful all ye Nations rise,
Join the Triumph of the Skies,
Universal Nature say
"CHRIST the LORD is born to Day!
CHRIST, by highest Heav'n ador'd,
CHRIST, the Everlasting Lord,
Late in Time behold him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's Womb.
Veil'd in Flesh, the Godhead see,
Hail th' Incarnate Deity!
Pleas'd as Man with Men t' appear
JESUS, our Immanuel here!
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.
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.
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 Pow'r,
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, tho' lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Inner Man:
O! to All Thyself impart,
Form'd in each Believing Heart.
· The song was originally titled, “A Hymn for Christmas Day.” Therefore, I am sending this out on Christmas Day.
· Wesley’s original began with the line, “Hark, how all the welkin rings.” Welkin is an old word for “skies.” The idea is that the skies or heavens rang with a loud cry or noise. You can thank George Whitefield for the change to “Hark, the herald angels sing.” It sounds better and the song wouldn’t have survived until today if Wesley’s wording had remained.
· A second important change came in 1782 when the “New Version of the Psalms of David” was published. It incorporated this song and used Whitefield’s wording in the first line. It also took that line and added it to the end of each stanza. Each stanza ended by singing, “Hark, the herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn King.” This arrangement is how it is sung today.
· Most modern versions include only three stanzas. In Wesley’s original version, stanzas 3, 4, and 6-10 contain deeper theological teaching about the Garden, the preexistence of Christ, Christ’s deity, His descent from heaven, the serpent’s curse, the cancellation of Adam’s sin, and life lived in union with Christ. While it is understandable that most people don’t want to sing ten stanzas of anything (except for Don McLean’s “American Pie”), we are impoverished by not singing this theology of Christmas.
· Other changes were made to the lyrics over the years, primarily to make it more poetical and singable. So, the original in some ways became the template for our modern version. If Wesley came back from the dead and heard Bing Crosby singing “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, he might not immediately realize it as the song he penned.
· Finally, one of Wesley’s primary motivations for writing songs like this was to aid the work of discipleship. This song, and others he wrote, were intended to be used to teach new converts the truths of Christianity. Over time, it has been made more singable, but less theological. Wesley’s goal wasn’t to break into the top of the Christian music charts. His goal was to disciple believers in the faith. We could learn something from that.
