Angels We Have Heard On High
Kingdom Mass Choir Lyrics

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Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

In excelsis Deo,
In excelsis Deo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kingdom Mass Choir's "Angels We Have Heard On High" describe the joyous moment when the shepherds in Bethlehem witnessed the angels singing about the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse depicts the angels singing sweetly over the plains, with the mountains echoing their sounds. The second verse addresses the shepherds directly, questioning why they are so jubilant and what good news they are singing about. The chorus continues with the angels' proclamation of "Gloria, in excelsis Deo" - translating to "Glory to God in the highest" - repeating twice to emphasize the magnitude of this message. The final verse invites everyone to come and see the newborn King, Christ the Lord, and worship him on bended knee. The song concludes with a repetition of the chorus, celebrating the angels' song.

Overall, the song captures the essence of joy and celebration around the Christmas story. The interplay between the angels and the shepherds illustrates how the news of Jesus' birth is for everyone and is cause for great rejoicing. The repetition of "Gloria, in excelsis Deo" throughout the song emphasizes the centrality of giving glory to God for this miraculous event.

Line by Line Meaning

Angels we have heard on high
We have heard singing angels high up in the sky

Sweetly singing o'er the plains
They were singing beautifully over the fields

And the mountains in reply
The mountains echoed in response

Echoing their joyous strains
They were echoing the angels' happy songs

Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Glory to God in the highest,

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Shepherds, why are you so joyful?

Why your joyous strains prolong?
Why are you continuing to sing happily?

What the gladsome tidings be
What is the good news?

Which inspire your heavenly song?
What caused you to sing this beautiful heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Come to Bethlehem and look

Him whose birth the angels sing;
See the one whose birth the angels are celebrating;