God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Mannheim Steamroller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
"Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
The lyrics of Mannheim Steam Roller's "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" are a simple retelling of the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ. In the first verse, the singer admonishes the audience to not be discouraged or dismayed by anything, but to remember that Jesus was born on Christmas day to save humanity from the power of Satan. This realization brings comfort and joy, which is repeated as the chorus throughout the song. The second verse tells of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem and how Mary, his mother, accepted the fact that her son was to be born in a manger. The third and fourth verses describe how the shepherds were visited by an angel who tells them of Jesus' birth and, subsequently, how they go to find him. The final verse is a call to celebrate the holy tide of Christmas in true love and brotherhood.
The specific messaging of this song resonates with several themes of the holiday season. The idea of peace and joy, which is encapsulated in the chorus, is reminiscent of the common refrain of "goodwill towards all men" that is popular during Christmas time. Additionally, the focus on the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, specifically emphasizing his role as a savior, addresses the religious undertones of the holiday. In this way, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" connects both the secular and religious aspects of Christmas.
Line by Line Meaning
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
May you be merry and joyful, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Do not let anything discourage you
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Recall that Christ is our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
He was born on the day we celebrate as Christmas
To save us all from Satan's power
He came to rescue us from Satan's control
When we were gone astray
When we had wandered away from God
O tidings of comfort and joy,
This is news that should bring comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
The birthplace of Christ was Bethlehem in Israel
This blessed Babe was born
This blessed baby was born
And laid within a manger
And placed in a feeding trough for animals
Upon this blessed morn
On this blessed morning
The which His Mother Mary
His mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
Accepted this without any negative feelings or disapproval
From God our Heavenly Father
An Angel sent by our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
Blessed Angel arrived
And unto certain Shepherds
And announced to some shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
Delivered the same message
How that in Bethlehem was born
That Christ was born in Bethlehem
The Son of God by Name.
The Son of God, named Jesus
Fear not then," said the Angel,
Do not be afraid," said the Angel,
Let nothing you affright,
Do not let anything scare you
This day is born a Saviour
A Savior has been born on this day
Of a pure Virgin bright,
Born of a pure and virtuous Virgin
To free all those who trust in Him
To liberate those who believe in Him
From Satan's power and might.
From the influence of Satan
The shepherds at those tidings
The shepherds upon hearing this message
Rejoiced much in mind,
Became extremely joyful
And left their flocks a-feeding
And left their sheep grazing
In tempest, storm and wind:
In harsh weather conditions
And went to Bethlehem straightway,
Went to Bethlehem immediately
The Son of God to find.
To find the Son of God
Now to the Lord sing praises,
Let's sing praises to the Lord
All you within this place,
Everyone present here
And with true love and brotherhood
And with true love and unity
Each other now embrace;
Embrace one another
This holy tide of Christmas
The holy occasion of Christmas
All other doth deface.
Surpasses all other holidays.
Writer(s): DAVID WILCOCKS
Contributed by Wyatt H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jasonvancura2139
This is probably my favorite version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
@GameGoodness321
Jason Vancura I'd agree if Pentatonix hadn't done it. Have you heard their version? (not an advertisement, I'm just curious) This version would be my second favorite.
@jacobvanantwerp2001
Jason Vancura Same.
@Stuntcat-vv8cm
ikr it was my favorite as soon as i heard it for the first time on WNIC.
@Jaymac720
GameGoodness321 I prefer this one
@danaabel1049
Mine, too, Man. It's Xmas, w/ a SERIOUS BEAT!!!!
@danielvick3527
This rendition is brilliant, but, when the strings come in at 2:42, this song is raised to almost angelic heights! Always brings a tear to my eyes!
@jameswhipple5658
I see what you mean at 2:42....🎅👌🤨🇬🇷🎄☃️
@jasonvancura2139
It sort of reminds me of Electric Light Orchestra.
@tabithasavella5120
It is a very strong piece