The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
Come Come Ye Saints
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord.
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
O sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God, Glory in the highest
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord.
Yes, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning
Jesus, to thee be the glory given
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord.
The lyrics of Mormon Tabernacle Choir's song O Come All Ye Faithful invites believers to come and adore the Christ Child. The repetition of the phrase "O come let us adore him" underscores the central message of the song, which emphasis on the worship and reverence for the Savior. The first verse invites listeners to come and behold Him, who is born as the King of angels, emphasizing not only His divine nature as the Son of God but also His humanity as a newborn baby. The second verse calls angels and citizens of heaven to sing praises to God for the birth of the Messiah, rejoicing in His glory and majesty.
The final verses of the song express gratitude and acknowledgement for Christ's birth, hailing Him as the Word of the Father who appeared in the flesh to save humanity from sin. The song culminates in the remaining verses with the chorus, repeating the message of invitation to come and adore Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
O come let us adore him,
Let us humbly seek to honor and worship Christ, recognizing his divine nature and the role he plays as our Lord and Savior.
O come let us adore him,
Let us continue to show our love and reverence for Christ by bowing before him in adoration and respect.
O come let us adore him
Let us join together in praising Christ and recognizing his greatness, offering our humble adoration to him.
Christ the Lord.
This is Jesus, who is not only the Son of God but also the Lord and Master of all creation, worthy of our utmost respect and admiration.
Come and behold him,
Come and see for yourself the wonder and majesty of Christ, as he reveals himself in all his glory.
Born the King of angels
He is the one born to be the ruler and master of all angels, who are themselves divine servants of God.
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Let all of the angels in heaven join together in singing and celebrating the greatness of Christ, lifting their voices in joyful praise.
O sing all ye citizens of heaven above
All of the inhabitants of heaven, including the angels, should join together in announcing the greatness and power of Christ, praising him with one voice.
Glory to God, Glory in the highest
Let us give all the credit and honor to God, praising him above all things and acknowledging his supreme power and majesty.
Yes, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning
We welcome you, Lord, on this most joyous of days, remembering the day of your birth with reverence and appreciation.
Jesus, to thee be the glory given
All the praise and honor should be directed toward Jesus, as he is the one who has done so much for us and deserves our utmost admiration and respect.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
The divine Word of God, who was present before all things, has now come to earth in human form, revealing himself to us in a new and powerful way.
O come, let us adore him,
Once again, we are called to show our love, respect, and appreciation for Jesus Christ, acknowledging him as the Lord and Savior of all creation.
O come, let us adore him,
We are reminded again and again to come and fall on our knees before Christ, recognizing his divine nature and the power he holds over all things.
O come, let us adore him
Join with us in humbly adoring Christ, recognizing his greatness and offering our love and thankfulness to him.
Christ the Lord.
This simple phrase encapsulates the true meaning and purpose of this song - to honor and worship Jesus Christ, who is the Lord and Master of all things, both now and forevermore.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Shane1873
They shut off my grandfathers oxygen a few min ago. Said a prayer and listened to this song. Till we meet again my amazing grandfather! You are loved and you will be missed.
@e.conboy4286
May you and your family be blessed with many lovely ok’ing memories. I send my sincere condolences. Elizabeth
@katherinem.4414
God bless you for your testimony….I felt the same way about my father!! And when my mother passed on, we knew they would be well off together.
@davidjensen4702
I can never get through this hymn without thinking of the 2nd verse when going through difficult times and the reassurance of the words... 'All is well.' Makes everything a bit better.
@jaredharris1940
You are loved by your ancestors as you love them!
@user-nj7yh5yi6r
❤
@robfromhc
I am not of the LDS faith, but I never tire of listening to this hymn and other hymns of Mormon lineage. Keep the beautiful music coming!
@larrywalker8275
There are many beautiful choral anthems, but this is as good as they get. As a non-Mormon, I can only begin to imagine what strings it touches in a Mormon heart.
@davidjensen4702
Larry, glad you enjoy this song of reassurance! The message, though simple, reaches out to all faiths. "All is well, all is well."
@marianpatrick1448
It brings me tears each time I listen .