Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Charles Wesley (1739)
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 the angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest Heav’n 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 is flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Refrain
Hail the heavenly Prince of Price!
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.
Refrain
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,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours and ours to Thine.
Refrain
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp thine image in it’s 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,
Formed in each believing heart.
Refrain
I saved my favorite Christmas hymn for the Sunday after Christmas. This hymn has more doctrine than we can deal with in one post. Every verse is true, deep and powerful. I think that I could just read this song and meditate on each verse all day long. What a wonderful and powerful hymn – a good one to end the year on.
