God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir New York Philharmonic Leonard Bernstein Lyrics

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God rest ye merry, gentlemen
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

O tidings of 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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" are an encouraging call to all to rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ. The song acknowledges that Christ was born on Christmas day to save humanity from Satan's power and to lead the people back to God. The song encourages listeners not to be dismayed, but to remember Christ's birth and the subsequent blessings that came with it. The lyrics are divided into four sections, each discussing a different aspect of the story of Christ's birth.

First, the song talks about how Christ was born in Bethlehem to save humanity from Satan's power when they had gone astray. The second stanza elaborates on this by highlighting how Christ was placed in a manger by His mother, Mary, and how this was not taken in scorn. The third and fourth stanzas of the song talk about how an angel brought the message of Christ's birth to the shepherds, urging them not to be afraid but rejoice in the message of God. The final stanza of the song encourages listeners to celebrate Christ's birth and embrace each other with love and brotherhood.

Overall, the lyrics of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" are an invitation to celebrate the joy and comfort that Christ's birth brings, with a reminder of the reason for the season.

Writer(s): D. Willcocks

Contributed by Hunter J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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