Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Choir of Westminster Cathedral Lyrics
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Glory to the newborn King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconcile.
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn 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, the incarnate deity,
Pleased as Man with to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn 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 man no more may die,
Born to raise the suns of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.
The song "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a classic Christmas carol that tells the story of the birth of Jesus, the "newborn King." The lyrics beautifully describe the joy and wonder of the announcement of the birth of Christ by the angels to the shepherds. The first stanza of the song invites us to listen to the angels singing out, "Glory to the newborn King" while also proclaiming "peace on earth" and "God and sinners reconcile." This line speaks to the idea that with the birth of Jesus comes a time of peace and forgiveness between God and humanity.
The second stanza of the song continues to describe the divinity of Christ and his significance as the savior of the world. It speaks to his miraculous birth through a virgin mother and how he, as the "incarnate deity," is both fully God and fully man. The lyrics also describe how Christ is the great "Prince of peace" and the "Sun of righteousness" who brings salvation and healing to all. The final stanza of the song speaks to the eternal nature of Christ's birth and how it signifies a new era for humanity, one where death and sin no longer have power. It is a powerful and uplifting carol that has been sung for centuries to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the hope and joy that he brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Listen! The angels who announce great news are singing
Glory to the newborn King,
Praise to the newly born King
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
May there be peace on earth with gentle mercy
God and sinners reconcile.
God is reconciling with sinners
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
All nations should rise up and be joyful
Join the triumph of the skies;
Join in the celebration that is happening in the skies
with the angelic host proclaim,
Declare along with the host of angels
'Christ is born in Bethlehem'
'Christ has been born in Bethlehem'
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, who is honored by the highest heaven
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Christ, the Lord who exists for eternity
Late in time behold him come,
At the appointed time, he came
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
He was born from a virgin woman
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
The Godhead is hidden in flesh, but can still be seen
Hail, the incarnate deity,
Hail to the deity that is now embodied in human form
Pleased as Man with to dwell,
He is happy to live as a human being
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Jesus is our Emmanuel
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of peace!
Hail to the Prince of Peace who was born in heaven
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Hail to the Sun of righteousness
Light and life to all he brings,
He brings light and life to everyone
Risen with healing in his wings.
He has risen and has the power to heal
Mild he lays his glory by,
He humbly sets aside his glory
Born that man no more may die,
He was born so that man need not die anymore
Born to raise the suns of earth,
He was born to raise the people of the earth
Born to give them second birth.
He was born to give them a new birth
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Listen! The angels who announce great news are singing
Glory to the newborn King.
Praise to the newly born King
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bartholdy Felix Mendelssohn, Daniel Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind