Growing up Catholic, every Christmas, I’d sing along with crooners like Bing Crosby and Perry Como, as well as other singers of the 60s. I know these Christmas Carols by heart. I could sing them with or without music. I’d sing along in elevators, retail stores, and malls. Yet, even as an adult, I didn’t truly grasp the Gospel message. The Gospel Truth is in each of the beloved hymns of Christmas. It’s a shame we only sing them for about a month and a half. They should be sung all year long!
Check out this selection of Christmas Carols. The underlined lyrics go to Bible Studies. Dig deeper into the true meaning of these beautiful songs.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Original Latin lyrics written in 1710
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou Day-Spring
Come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine Advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan‘s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Desire of Nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease
And be Thyself our King of peace
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel
O Holy Night!
Lyrics, written in 1843 by poet Placide Cappeau, was set to music by composer Adolphe Adam.
O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior‘s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh holy night, O Christ divine
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need
To weakness He is no stranger
Behold your King!
Before Him lowly bend
Behold your King!
Before Him lowly bend
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord
O praise His name forever
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim
We Three Kings
Written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857
We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of light,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading,
still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem‘s plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshiping God on high.
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Heav’n sings Hallelujah:
Hallelujah the earth replies.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Written by Charles Wesley, 1739
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 angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail! the Son 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 newborn King”
What Child Is This?
Written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865 and set to the tune of “Greensleeves”, a traditional English folk song, in 1871.
What Child is this, who laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here,
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne, for me, for you:
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh;
Come peasant, king to own Him.
The King of Kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise, the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
The Babe, the Son of Mary
Joy to the Word!
Written in 1719 by Issac Watts
Joy to The world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonder wonders of His love
Not Scripture!
All these Christmas songs are wonderful ways to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but they are not Scripture! They are inspired by scripture and composed at a time when people were illiterate and the only way to reach them was through stained glass windows and songs.
Songs are easy to memorize. The more you sing them, the more you learn them by heart.
That’s also the purpose of the Book of Psalms. They were meant to be read, preached, and sung regularly.
Keep singing and keep spreading the
Good News!
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