Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas song, whose original English lyrics were written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. It appeared in 1739 in "Hymns And Sacred Poems". The original opening line was "Hark! how all the welkin rings "; the version today is the result of changes by different people. Many anthems from the eighteenth century consisted for the most part from written text without music. The song was more important than the melodies in a song or verse. The melody which nowadays is used for this song is based on a part from Felix Mendelssohn'sCantata Festgesang from 1840.

The Dutch poet Willem Barnard Wesley translated the text of the song to hear the Herald Angels Sing d. This is included under number 135 in the Songbook for the churches.

Song Texts

Dutch text

English text

Hear the Herald Angels Sing d of the newly born Lord! Are working for ' on Earth, 't is fulfilled: God reconciles people's fault. Add, peoples, in the choir, that echoed the sky by, people tongue and eng'lenstem, sings the child of Bethlehem! Hear the Herald Angels Sing d of the newly born Lord! He, that reigns on the heavenly throne, D'eeuw'ge Christ Fathers son, is born of a Virgin on the time that is pleasing to God. Incarnate Word of God, became man to our destiny. You, a, o Lord of men, You Immanuel, they honor! Hear the Herald Angels Sing d of the newly born Lord! Heil the Frost of eternity, Sun of righteousness! Of its vleug'len drop down, light and life always. Praise you, that your glory did, hiding in the Earth dressing, so that we, of sin rein, clothing for newborns would be. Hear the Herald Angels Sing d of the newly born Lord!

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new born King, peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! " Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th ' angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new born King!" Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come, offspring of a Virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th ' incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new born King!" Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that we may no more, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new born King!"