Angels We Have Heard On High
Robert Goulet & Carol Lawrence Lyrics
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Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear?
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 new-born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
See him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The first verse of this traditional Christmas hymn, “Angels We Have Heard On High,” focuses on the appearance of angels in the night sky, presumably announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. The angels’ song echoes throughout the mountains, filling the air with their joyous message. The chorus of “Gloria in excelsis Deo” is a Latin phrase meaning “Glory to God in the highest,” which is sung in celebration of the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah.
In the second verse, the shepherds are addressed, and they are questioned about their jubilant and joyous state. They are asked what they saw or heard that brought about such happiness, and they too join in singing the chorus of “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” The final verse directs the listener to Bethlehem, where the newborn Savior can be found. The song invites us to kneel and worship Him in the manger. The parents of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, are also called upon to lend their aid, as the song is an invitation for everyone to join in the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
Angels we have heard on high
We have heard angels singing loudly and beautifully up high.
Singing sweetly through the night
Their singing was sweet and lasted through the night.
And the mountains in reply
The mountains echoed their delightful singing in response.
Echoing their brave delight.
The mountains echoed the joyful singing of the angels, emphasizing their excitement.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The angels were singing glory to God in the highest.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Shepherds, why are you celebrating with such joy?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
Why are you singing such joyful songs?
What great brightness did you see?
What caused this bright and happy celebration?
What glad tiding did you hear?
What good news did you hear?
Come to Bethlehem and see
Come to Bethlehem and witness for yourselves.
Him whose birth the angels sing;
The angels are singing about the birth of someone special.
Come, adore on bended knee
Come and worship, humbling yourselves before him.
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.
The new-born King is Christ the Lord.
See him in a manger laid
Observe him in the manger, where he lies.
Whom the angels praise above;
He is the one whom the angels hold in high regard.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
Mary and Joseph, help us in our worship.
While we raise our hearts in love.
As we offer love and adoration.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The angels continued to sing glory to God in the highest.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Again, the angels sang glory to God in the highest.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Traditional, Douglas Gamley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind