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Hark! the Herald Angels


This Christmas carol first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems written by Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. He requested a slow and solemn music for his lyrics and thus it was sung to a different tune initially. Over a hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn composed a cantata in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s music to fit the lyrics of “Hark the herald angels sing” written by Wesley.

Wesley's original hymn began with the opening line "Hark how all the Welkin rings" and regarded as a "Hymn for Christmas-Day". This was changed to "Hark! the Herald Angels sing" by George Whitefield for his social worship. Today's version sung is edited by Sir David Willcocks and Reginald Jacque in 'Carols for Choirs' published by Oxford university in 1961.

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" was regarded as one of the Great Four Anglican Hymns and published as number 403 in "The Church Hymn Book". 

LYRICS:

Hark! The herald-angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With the 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 the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald-angels sing
"Glory to the newborn 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 man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"

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