a Christmas Hymn Devotion for 31 December 2024 Anno Domini,
the Anglican Orthodox Communion
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men. (Gospel of St Luke 2:9-14; all scripture cited is from the King James Bible)
This is one of most beautiful of Christmas Hymns and one so closely associated with the Season that I neglected writing about it earlier by oversight. It is one of my favorites and one filled with glorious praise to God and His only Begotten Son. The hymn is the composition of Charles Wesley circa 1739 and revised slightly by George Whitfield in 1753. The music, written by Felix Mendelssohn (Jesu Redemptor), adds to the glorious beauty of the hymn.
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
1 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 th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain:
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 the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel. [Refrain]
3 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. [Refrain]
1 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 th’angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ represent a new beginning not greatly different from the nature of the first at Eden “When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy.” (Job 38:7) The Angels sang at the first new beginning as well as this last when Christ was born. He came to reconcile lost Creation with the Father. “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord” (Psalm 117:1-2) Nations who fail to give glory to God will not be accounted nations at the end time.. 2 Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb: veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. [Refrain] “Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.” (Psalm 69:34) Our Lord Jesus Christ came in the fulness of time as the Son of the Living God and King of Heaven. He was born of a woman yet had no taint of sin in His blood for His Father was God Almighty. He deigned to stoop from His high estate in the glorious Kingdom to become flesh and blood as we, too, are. Being born as we all must be, he became the God who is with us always and will never forsake us.
3 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. [Refrain] While Christ was born in the flesh on earth, He was truly Heaven born ast the first-born of God the Father from eternity past. He is the ‘Sun of righteousness’ to bring healing to all who are the elect of God. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise With healing in his wings; And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” (Malachi 4:2) Our Lord humbled Himself in the flesh, suffered the pains of the cross, was buried and rose from the dead so that those who love and follow Him can be blessed with that same resurrection to eternal life. The second birth in Christ assures us that we will not suffer the second death after the judgment. In so being blessed, we may sing the refrain with the angels together:
Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,”Glory to the newborn King”
