God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Ralph Carmichael Lyrics
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Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Savior
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 Ralph Carmichael's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is a call to all merry gentlemen to rest and not be dismayed. The song reminds listeners that Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power when we were lost. The lyrics also recount the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, starting with His birthplace in Bethlehem, Israel, where He was born and laid in a manger. The shepherds received tidings from a blessed Angel that the Son of God had been born in Bethlehem, and they went to find Him. When they found the baby in a manger, the shepherds were filled with joy and praised the Lord. The song concludes with a call for all to sing praises to the Lord and embrace one another with true love and brotherhood, for this holy tide of Christmas defaces all others.
Line by Line Meaning
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
May you have peace and happiness, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Don't be discouraged or disheartened
Remember, Christ, our Savior
Recall that Jesus is our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
He was born on this day celebrated as Christmas
To save us all from Satan's power
He came to rescue us from the power of Satan
When we were gone astray
When we had gone the wrong way or lost our way
O tidings of comfort and joy,
What wonderful and joyful news
Comfort and joy
Which bring us comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
In the city of Bethlehem, located in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
The Son of God was born,
And laid within a manger
And placed in a feeding trough for animals,
Upon this blessed morn
On this special and sacred morning
The which His Mother Mary
His mother Mary,
Did nothing take in scorn
Didn't treat this event with contempt or rejection
From God our Heavenly Father
Our Father in Heaven,
A blessed Angel came;
Sent a blessed angel
And unto certain Shepherds
Who only certain shepherds,
Brought tidings of the same:
Announced the same good news
How that in Bethlehem was born
That the Son of God was born in Bethlehem,
The Son of God by Name.
And his name is the Son of God.
Fear not then, said the Angel,
Don't be afraid,
Let nothing you affright,
Don't let anything frighten you,
This day is born a Saviour
Today, a Savior has been born
Of a pure Virgin bright,
From a pure and bright virgin
To free all those who trust in Him
To set free those who have faith in Him
From Satan's power and might.
From the power and might of Satan.
The shepherds at those tidings
Upon hearing this news
Rejoiced much in mind,
Were overjoyed in their hearts,
And left their flocks a-feeding
Left their grazing sheep behind,
In tempest, storm and wind:
Even in bad weather conditions.
And went to Bethlehem straightway
And went directly to Bethlehem,
The Son of God to find.
To find the Son of God.
Now to the Lord sing praises,
Let's now offer praises to the Lord,
All you within this place,
All those gathered here,
And with true love and brotherhood
And with genuine love and brotherly affection
Each other now embrace;
Let's hug each other now;
This holy tide of Christmas
This sacred time of Christmas
All other doth deface.
Makes all other things pale in comparison.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Danny Terblanche
on He's There Waiting
Excellent rendition....lovely portrayal.
Gladys Gahman Roberts
on All My Life
Thank you for sharing these songs with us. Always loved this song!