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 sense of the reverence and awe, like what the shepherds gave the newborn babe in Bethlehem. Christ, a person of the Trinity, ruler of heaven, creator of Earth and man, come down as an infant to bless his creation. I personally love how this carol portrays the reactions of the worshiping angels, who long to look into this mystery! (1 Peter 1:12)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descended,
our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood;
Lord of lords in human vesture,
in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank, the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish,
as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim with sleepless eye
veil their faces to his presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

3 Settings

From John Michael Talbot’s magnificent Christmas album

A simple setting that congregations could sing today, from Red Mountain Music

A very, very rich setting from Choir of King’s College

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. It repeats its simple gospel message at the end of each verse: Jesus the Lord came to Earth for you!

Infant holy, infant lowly,
for his bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Swiftly winging angels singing,
bells are ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all!
Christ the babe is Lord of all!

Flocks were sleeping; shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of a gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you!
Christ the babe was born for you!

A simple choral setting

A modern arrangement

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 Luke 2:14 and imagines the night sky the shepherds beheld. The second verse sings of the divine nature of Christ. The third verse triumphantly praises Jesus and summarizes his work.

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 th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain
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 th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

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 we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

3 Settings

A modern worship version with the added “King of Heaven” refrain

A joyful performance from a Getty Sing conference

A traditional lessons and carols performance from King’s College Cambridge

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 rose to symbolize Christ’s birth was originally a German poem from the sixteenth century. Michael Praetorius wrote his beautiful setting in 1609, though the famous English translation we know wasn’t written until 1894 by Theodore Baker. Much of the piece references the prophecy in Isaiah 11 of a righteous King from the line of David.

Lo, how a rose e’er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung.
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung;
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind;
To show God’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

O Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispel with glorious splendour
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From Sin and death now save us,
And share our every load.

A stunning performance in the poem’s original German, from Voces8

And more familiarly in English

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 a meditation on the Christmas narrative from Luke 2:7, where Mary gave birth to Jesus in a barn because the inn was too full. The first verse glories in Christ’s humble birth, the second tells of the reason for His coming, and the third is a call to respond to His redemptive work for us.

O behold, the mystery now unfolds
See the star shine on the virgin foretold
Angels sing and light up the sky
Hope rings out in a newborn’s cry
Swing wide, you ancient gates
For Christ is born today!

Refrain
Prepare Him room
Prepare Him room
Let the King of glory enter in

God with us, the promise has come to be
This, the one the prophets were longing to see
In the darkness a blazing light
To the hungry the words of life
His kingdom now is near
For those with ears to hear

Oh, our hearts, as busy as Bethlehem
Hear Him knock, don’t say there’s no room in the inn
Through the cradle, cross, and grave
See the love of God displayed
Now He’s risen and He reigns
Praise the Name above all names!

Link to Sovereign Grace’s page for 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 God in the highest! There is much great Christmas music in Latin, and I chose two to highlight. The first, a very short piece, expresses the joy of Christ’s coming, and the longer second piece is a gorgeous reflection on the mystery of the incarnation. While I can’t recommend teaching your congregation Latin, on which of these themes might you or your congregation want to meditate?

Omnis mundus jocundetur nato salvatore
All the world rejoices that a Saviour has been born
casta mater quae concepit Gabrielis ore.
of a chaste mother who conceived as Gabriel said.
Sonoris vocibus, sinceris mentibus,
With sounding voices, and with sincere hearts,
exsultemus et laetemur hodie.
Let us rejoice and be glad today.

Itaque, gaudete, gaudeamus itaque.
Therefore, rejoice, let us rejoice, therefore.

Christus natus ex Maria virgine,
Christ was born of the Virgin Mary,
Gaudeamus et laetemur itaque.
So let us rejoice and be glad therefore.

O magnum mysterium,
O great mystery,
et admirabile sacramentum,
and wonderful sacrament,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
jacentem in praesepio!
lying in a manger!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
meruerunt portare
was worthy to bear
Dominum Jesum Christum.
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

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. Every line contains rich Scriptural illusions. The first verse shows our longing and need for the presence of Jesus. In the last verse, Wesley references the first coming of Jesus, the present kingdom and working of God in his people, and Christ’s second coming.

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

2 Settings

While this text more frequently appears in hymnals under the tune STUTTGART, it is most commonly sung today to the tune HYFRODOL, which both of the settings below use.

This second setting has a few additional verses whose origins I could not confirm, though the final slide credits them to Wesley as well.

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 summary of the Christmas narrative collected from Luke 2 and Matthew 2. “Noel” is the English derivation of the French word for Christmas, Noël. The poem is likely an accumulation of many authors words, and first appeared in English hymnals in the nineteenth century. Its simple tune and rich overview of Jesus’ birth and our response in the final verse make it a hymn worth teaching.

The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep:

Refrain
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.

And by the light of that same star
three Wise Men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.

This star drew nigh to the northwest,
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.

Then entered in those Wise Men three,
full reverently upon the knee,
and offered there, in his presence,
their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Then let us all with one accord
sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
that hath made heaven and earth of nought,
and with his blood our life hath bought.

A simple modern version of The First Noel…

And a rich choral setting

More recently written is the brief Sing We Now of Christmas. A shorter summary of the same parts of Scripture, it was originally a French carol, first appearing in English carol books in the early twentieth century. The unusual tune makes it a neat twist on the holiday favorite.

Sing we now of Christmas, Noel, sing we here!
Hear our grateful praises to the babe so dear.

Refrain
Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!

Angels called to shepherds, “Leave your flocks at rest,
journey forth to Bethlehem, find the child so blest.”

In Bethlehem they found him; Joseph and Mary mild,
seated by the manger, watching the holy child.

From the eastern country came the kings afar,
bearing gifts to Bethlehem, guided by a star.

Gold and myrrh they took there, gifts of greatest price;
there was never a stable so like paradise.

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 of good health.” It’s often a New-Year’s toast where people use it today, frequently accompanied by warm cider. There were two types of wassailing. The first resembles American Halloween trick-or-treating, going from house to house and wishing blessings upon the guests. This became door-to-door caroling, and though we’ve lost that tradition we still have some very famous Christmas songs that came out of it, including Vaughn Williams lovely arrangement of Wassail Song and the traditional Here We Come A-Wassailing.

The other type of wassailing was an English orchard ritual. One would go to recite incantations and sing to the trees, in the hope that they would remain healthy and produce good fruit during harvest. In light of Jesus’ birth, Richard Hutchins wrote Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, which takes orchard wassailing and places it alongside a meditation on Christ. Elizabeth Poston wrote an extraordinary carol based on these words.

The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree

His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
I missed of all but now I see
‘Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

Vaughn Williams Wassail Song

Here we Come A-Wassailing

For the second text of Christmas this blogger gives to thee…

One of the oldest texts we have for Christmas, O Come, O Come Emmanuel (alternatively Immanuel) was originally used for Latin masses before the 8th century. Translated into English by J.M. Neale in the 1800s, it was musically adopted from a fifteenth century French Mass by Thomas Helmore, also in the 1800s. Both tune and text are over half a millennia old!

The tone of the verses and the tone of the refrain contrast one another beautifully. Many of verses begin with the woeful state of humanity, and move towards the hope that Jesus’ coming brings, followed by the refrain’s thankful joy in Immanuel. The musical setting of the text displays this turn as well, with the verses beginning in a minor key and moving to the major for the refrain, which itself ends in the minor to set up the next verse.

There is extraordinary variation in the verses used in different hymnals; it is in fact more difficult to find two hymnals that agree on their verses than a dozen that differ! Some of the most common verses are below.

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, 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.

O come, thou Dayspring from on high,
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

3 Settings

A modern version from Sovereign Grace

A classical setting in traditional Latin from The Gesualdo Six

Ask a cellist to write for a blog, and he’ll slip some cello into the blog!