A Poor Brother's Hymnal: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Monday, October 15, 2007

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

“A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’” Luke 2:13-14

Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, alt.

Music: Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn, in his cantata Festgesang an die Künstler, 1840 (second movement, Vaterland, in deinem Gauen); the cantata celebrated the 400th anniversary of Johann Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. This arrangement, by William H. Cummings, appeared in the Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, by Richard R. Chope, 1857 (MIDI, score). Alternate tune:

Dent Dale, traditional tune, in The English Hymnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1906), number 23 (MIDI, score)

Wesley's Original	Modern Version
Hark, how all the welkin rings, “Glory to the King of kings; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; Universal nature say, “Christ the Lord is born to-day!” Christ, by highest Heaven ador’d, 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 appear, Jesus! Our Immanuel here! Hail, the heavenly 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 man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth. Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us thy humble home; Rise, the woman’s conquering 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 Thy 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, Form’d in each believing heart.	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 host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!” 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 th’incarnate Deity, Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Hail the heav’nly 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. 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.

Wesley's Original

Modern Version

Hark, how all the welkin rings,
“Glory to the King of kings;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
Universal nature say,
“Christ the Lord is born to-day!”

Christ, by highest Heaven ador’d,
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 appear,
Jesus! Our Immanuel here!

Hail, the heavenly 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 man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth;
Born to give them second birth.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conquering 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 Thy 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,
Form’d in each believing heart.

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 host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

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 th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Hail the heav’nly 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.

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.

C G C G / C Dm C G C / C G Am D / Em G D G
C G7 C G / C G7 C G / F Dm A Dm / G C G C
F Dm A Dm / G C G C

G D G D / G Am G D G / G D Em A / Bm D A D
G D7 G D / G D7 G D / C Am E Am / D G D G
C Am E Am / D G D G

D A D A / D Em D A D / D A Bm E / F#m A E A
D A7 D A / D A7 D A / G Em B Em / A D A D
G Em B Em / A D A D

Quem Pastores:
C F G / Am F Dm G / Am G F C / F Dm G C
D G A / Bm G Em A / Bm A G D / G Em A D
G C D / Em C Am D / Em D C G / C Am D G

Morning Prayer:

Conditor Alme:

Inner Light:
C G Em / G Em Dm F /
C G C / Am Em Am /
Am Em F C / G Em Dm F /
C G Em / Am Em Am

D A Fm / A Fm Em G /
D A Fm / Bm Fm Bm /
Bm Fm G D / A Fm Em G /
D A Fm / Bm Fm Bm

Labels: chords, christmas, wesley

¶ Monday, October 15, 2007

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