Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Felix Mendelssohn perf. Gordon Langford and his Orchestra Lyrics


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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"
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 the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man 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
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




Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Overall Meaning

The song "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is an iconic Christmas carol that has been a part of holiday celebrations for centuries. The hymn begins by announcing the birth of Jesus as the "newborn King" and offers a message of peace on earth and mercy for all. The song encourages all people to join in the celebration, urging "Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies With the angelic host proclaim."


The lyrics continue to praise Jesus as the "Heav'n-born Prince of Peace" and "Son of Righteousness." It acknowledges the divine nature of Jesus as the "everlasting Lord" and "incarnate Deity." The carol also highlights the mission of Jesus' birth and his sacrifice, saying "Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth."


Line by Line Meaning

Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the message that the angels are singing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise the new king who has just been born


Peace on earth and mercy mild
May there be peace on earth and a mild sense of forgiveness


God and sinners reconciled
God has reconciled with sinners


Joyful, all ye nations rise
All nations should rise up and feel joyous


Join the triumph of the skies
Join the triumphant angels in the sky


With the angelic host proclaim:
Proclaim this message with the angelic host


"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Christ has been born in the city of Bethlehem


Christ by highest Heav'n adored
Christ is adored by the highest level of Heaven


Christ the everlasting Lord!
Christ is the Lord who will last forever


Late in time behold Him come
After a long wait, Christ has finally arrived


Offspring of a Virgin's womb
He is a product of a virgin's womb


Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Even though he is a God, his flesh makes him seem human


Hail the incarnate Deity
Salute the God who has become incarnated


Pleased as man with man to dwell
He is pleased to dwell among men as a man himself


Jesus, our Emmanuel
Jesus is considered our 'God with us'


Hail the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Salute the Prince of Peace who was born in Heaven!


Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Salute the Son who brings righteousness!


Light and life to all He brings
He brings light and life to everyone


Ris'n with healing in His wings
He has risen from the dead and brought healing along with him


Mild He lays His glory by
He humbly sets aside his glory


Born that man no more may die
He is born so that man may never die again


Born to raise the sons of earth
He is born to raise humanity


Born to give them second birth
He is born to grant people another chance at life


Hark! The herald angels sing
Listen to the message that the angels are singing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise the new king who has just been born




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES WESLEY, FELIX MENDELSSOHN, WILLIAM H. CUMMINGS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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