Hymn for Christmas Day

Hymn for Christmas Day

A classic Christmas hymn filled with rich, biblical lyrics, “Hark! the herald angels sing,” arranged by George Whitefield, was based on a poem by the famous hymnist Charles Wesley.
 
Wesley’s poem was originally titled “Hymn for Christmas Day.” As you read it, notice the Christ-focused praise built on the words and themes of Scripture, and particularly the Old Testament: the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2); the desire of nations (Haggai 2:7, KJV); the conquering seed of the woman who came to bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15); the likeness of Adam removed and the image of God put in its place by the second Adam, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12–21).
 
Note that in the opening line, “the welkin rings” refers to the proclamation in the skies (“welkin” = “skies”; later this line would become, “the herald angels sing”).
 
Wesley leads us to sing the good news of the gospel –– in Christ, God and sinners have been reconciled (Romans 5:10). This is the good news of great joy that came in the birth of Christ.

Hark, how all the welkin rings,
“Glory to the King of kings;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconcil’d!”
 
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
Universal nature say,
“Christ the Lord is born to-day!”
 
Christ, by highest Heaven ador’d,
Christ, the everlasting Lord:
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb!
 
Veil’d in flesh, the Godhead see,
Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
Pleas’d as man with men to appear,
Jesus, our Immanuel here!
 
Hail, the heavenly 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.
 
Come, desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conquering seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
 
Now display thy saving power,
Ruin’d nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to thine.
 
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp thy image in its place.
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.
 
Let us thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the life, the inner man:
O, to all thyself impart,
Form’d in each believing heart.

---

Bert Watts has served since December 2016 as the Senior Pastor at Mountain Creek Baptist Church, where he has been on staff since 2012.

Photo by Alessandro Viaro on Unsplash