Charles Wesley wrote these words as the opening verse to one of our favorite Christmas carols.\u00a0 I think most of us are happy that one of his friends changed it before publishing it, albeit without his knowledge, to “Hark! the herald angels sing”. I know I’m a little more comfortable with herald angels than welkin, which, according to wikpedia.org ” refers to the sky, the upper air, the firmament, the heavens or the Celestial sphere. Especially the highest celestial sphere e.g. the empyrean.”<\/p>\n
Here is how we usually sing it today. Many modern hymnals leave off the last verse, which is really a combination of the last two verses Wesley wrote.<\/p>\n
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 hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”<\/p>\n
Christ, by highest heav’n 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 men to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”<\/p>\n
Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n 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!”<\/p>\n
Come, Desire of nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home.
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head;
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”<\/p>\n\n\n
A hymnal from the mid 19th century, the Psalmist, has it versed like this.<\/p>\n
Song of the Angels.<\/strong><\/em> Joyful, all ye nations rise: See, he lays his glory by, Hail, the holy Prince of Peace! Let us, then, with angels’ sing, Charles Wesley wrote these words as the opening verse to one of our favorite Christmas carols.\u00a0 I think most of us are happy that one of his friends changed it before publishing it, albeit without his knowledge, to “Hark! the herald angels sing”. I know I’m a little more comfortable with herald angels than welkin,… <\/p>\n
HARK! the herald angels sing,
\u201cGlory to the new-born King: .
Peace on earth, and mercy mild:
God and sinners reconciled.”<\/p>\n
Join the triumph of the skies:
With th’ angelic host proclaim,
\u201cChrist is born in Bethlehem.”<\/p>\n
Born, that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth:
Born to give them second birth.<\/p>\n
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlory to the new-born King:
Peace on earth, and mercy mild:
God and sinners reconciled.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"