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 host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
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 the favored one.
Veil'd in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, th’ incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail! the heav'n born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son 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,
We had a program at my workplace. Various singers sang Christmas songs, a Hawaiian dancer did a couple of graceful numbers. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was one of the songs. The woman singing the song changed the words to: God and angels reconciled. It made me think of how sin is so offensive to people, that they'd even change the words to a common Christmas song.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara,
ReplyDeleteChanging that line just made a very unbiblical statement! Angels don't need to be reconciled. Why can't people just leave well enough alone?
In a way good job it wasn't left alone - I agree with Glenn about angels, but had it been left alone from Wesley wrote, and the tune used then it would, I suspect, have been lost to us! (Hark how all the welkin ring??). I do quite like the newer version though - finishes 'born to give us second birth' more about our response than singing about someone else!
ReplyDelete