Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Greatest Christmas Song II)

As we have learned, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was written by a fairly new believer. For years, he thought that his passion for holiness and Christian living made him acceptable to God. But to his shock he discovered that he was not even saved.

But then – the miracle of the new birth. And Charles Wesley celebrated his first Christmas truly knowing the saving power of Christ. He called all of creation to listen – Hark! Listen to the message that was brought to us by the angels! God and sinners reconciled!

We are called to glorify – to praise and worship – the great King of Kings who came to live among us. He came with a purpose – to reverse the curse that Adam brought to the world – to bring true life to all those who would be united with Him.

Although the first three stanzas of this great Christmas song speak of the identity of the Christ and His purpose for coming, it’s really the last two less known stanzas that make it personal, and turn it into a prayer. I encourage you to sing these stanzas this Christmas – make Wesley’s prayer your own.

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.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine 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,
Formed in each believing heart.

What was the prayer? That God would make His promises true in us. May we be truly united with Christ – our only hope for escape from the devil and the judgement of sin. Not only do we want forgiveness – we want God Himself. Give us YOU, Lord! Keep your promise, that all believers may be in Christ, and Christ in them through His Spirit (Romans 8:9).

Maybe this could be your first Christmas as someone who has truly found refuge in Christ. Centuries ago He was a small Jewish baby born into a poor family, a family that would soon be fleeing their country. But yesterday, today, and forever, He is the Everlasting Lord (Isaiah 40:28; Hebrews 13:8)!

Maybe you already have the joy of possessing God as your Father, your Lord, your Saviour. Either way, now is the time to do what this great Christmas carol calls us to do – give glory to the King!

He laid aside His glory for a time, to save us. Today we give Him the glory He deserves. We enjoy the reality that the God of the universe stepped down in love to save us. That His eternal promises to His people will be fulfilled. That, thanks to that Person who was born and placed in a manger, we will have an eternal relationship of love with God, not the judgement we so justly deserved.

Thanks for exploring this carol with me! I hope that this song will shine even brighter wherever you hear it. I’ll stop by one more time to share some of my sources and give you the index for this whole series.

Meantime, may more and more people sing – Glory to the newborn King!