William Garrett Walden (born February 13, 1950, often credited as Snuffy Wa… Read Full Bio ↴William Garrett Walden (born February 13, 1950, often credited as Snuffy Walden or W. G. Snuffy Walden) is an accomplished composer for television shows, having scored thirtysomething, The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Ellen, My So-Called Life, Felicity, Sports Night, The West Wing, George Lopez, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, among others. He also has recorded one solo music album and participated in several compilation albums. He was also guitarist with blues/rock band Stray Dog in the early 1970's. They penned a couple of albums on Greg Lake's Manticore Records label. Walden serves as an artistic advisory to the BMI Foundation.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful
W.G. Snuffy Walden Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, come ye
O come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

God of God

Light of light
Lo, he abhors
Not the virgin's womb
Very God
Begotten not created
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens
Of heaven above
Glory to God
In the highest

O come
Let us adore him
Christ the Lord

See how the shepherds
Summoned to his cradle
Leaving their flocks
Draw nigh with lowly fear
We too will thither hend
Our joyful footsteps
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus
To thee be glory given
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come

Let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Overall Meaning

The song, "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," is an invitation to come to Bethlehem to witness the birth of the King of angels, Jesus Christ. The song invokes the image of Christ as the light of light and God of God, hence, born not created. The song carries the message of the grace, love and adoration for Jesus from the beginning to the end.

The beginning of the song, with the invitation of coming to Bethlehem to adore the Christ, is both an invitation to come and witness the birth of the savior and an invitation to pause and reflect on the significance of the birth of Christ. The song speaks about the coming of angels to announce the birth of Christ and the shepherds who left their flock to witness Christ's birth. They came with fear and adoration, which is a symbol of the reverence Christ commands. The song ends by glorifying the birth of Christ as the word of the father who appeared in the flesh.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, come ye
Calling all to a specific destination or purpose

O come ye to Bethlehem
Inviting all to Bethlehem

Come and behold him
Come and see him with your own eyes

Born the King of angels
He is the king of the angels who was born

O come, let us adore him
Let's all worship him together

Christ the Lord
He is the messiah and the reigning king

God of God
He is God himself from God

Light of light
He is the light from light

Lo, he abhors
It is impossible for him to hate

Not the virgin's womb
He wasn't ashamed or displeased to be born from the virgin

Very God
He is God in the truest sense