Author Archives: Colin Hartwick

For the twelfth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… Our final text for Christmas was written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848. The rich lyrics first imagine theContinue reading “Once in Royal David’s City”

For the eleventh text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… There is an incredible mystery and power in the incarnation. The deeply theological lyrics to this carol convey a senseContinue reading “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

For the tenth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… This Polish carol, translated in the early twentieth century, is a reflection on the humble birth of Jesus. ItContinue reading “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”

For the ninth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… A deservedly well-known classic, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is rich with Advent theology. The first verse paraphrases LukeContinue reading “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

For the eighth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… A garden reference more familiar than the apple tree from our third text, this poem using a flowering roseContinue reading “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”

For the seventh text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… We travel from yesterday’s archaic Latin to 2014, when Sovereign Grace released Prepare Him Room. The song is aContinue reading “Prepare Him Room”

For the sixth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… Latin may be a dead language, but many know the Christmas phrase Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to GodContinue reading “Two Latin Texts”

For the fifth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… A similar though cheerier anticipatory text than Day 2, this hymn was written by the great Charles Wesley. EveryContinue reading “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

For the fourth text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… The First Noel is rightfully one of the most iconic Advent hymns we have today. It is a summaryContinue reading “The First Noel, and a second”

For the third text of Christmas, this blogger gives to thee… A musical tradition Christians adopted for Christmas is wassailing. Wassailing comes from an old Saxon phrase for “be ofContinue reading “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree”