Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is a hymn text by Charles Wesley; alt. George Whitefield (1739) in 7.7.7.7 D meter. Found in CW21 350, CW93 61, ELH 125, elw 270. Sung to MENDELSSOHN.
A Christmas hymn proclaiming the full theology of the incarnation in compressed form. The three stanzas cover the angelic announcement, the theological meaning of the incarnation (veiled in flesh the Godhead see), and the soteriological purpose (born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth).
History & Background
Written by Charles Wesley in 1739 as 'Hark how all the welkin rings, glory to the King of kings.' George Whitefield altered the opening line to the familiar version in 1753. Felix Mendelssohn's tune MENDELSSOHN was adapted from his cantata Festgesang (1840) by William Cummings in 1855.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 350
- Christian Worship — 61
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 125
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 270
- Gather 4th Edition — 475
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 60
- Lutheran Service Book — 380
- Lutheran Worship — 49
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 94
Bulletin Note
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing — Charles Wesley, 1739
Preaching Connection
The incarnation as the union of divinity and humanity for our salvation.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Heavenly proclamation of Christ's birth (stanza 1) → affirmation of Christ's eternal divine nature (stanza 2) → titles of Christ's redemptive work (stanza 3) → soteriological purpose: why Christ was born (stanza 4)
Background Research
Charles Wesley's original (Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739) began 'Hark how all the welkin rings' ('welkin' = the sky). George Whitefield rewrote the opening as 'Hark! the herald angels sing' in 1753 and cut stanzas; John Wesley left it out of his 1780 Collection, then took it back in 1787 in Whitefield's form. The tune is from Mendelssohn's Festgesang (1840); Mendelssohn wrote in 1843 that the music 'will never do to sacred words'. W. H. Cummings, organist at Waltham Abbey, adapted it anyway for his choir (published 1856). Source: Hymnology Archive.
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Christmas Day (3×)
- Christmas Dawn (2×)
- Christmas 2 (1×)
- Christmas Midnight (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Christmas Day (5×)
- Christmas Dawn (2×)
- Christmas Eve (1×)
- Christmas Midnight (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
Wesley's Christmas hymn is one of the most doctrinally dense carols in English. It moves from the angels' song and the reconciliation of God and sinners (st. 1), to the incarnation of the eternal Lord (st. 2), to the purpose of his birth — life, resurrection, new birth (st. 3), to a prayer that Christ dwell in believers (st. 4). Nearly every line is a doctrinal statement drawn from Scripture.
Central theme: The incarnation of the eternal Son to reconcile God and sinners and give new birth
Structure
Angels' message (1); who was born (2); why he was born (3); prayer for his indwelling (4).
Law & Gospel Shape
Gospel throughout; 'sinners' and 'die' name the condition he remedies.
Confessional Connections
Chalcedonian Christology ('veiled in flesh the Godhead see'); reconciliation (AC III); regeneration through Baptism ('second birth').
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Christmas Eve and Day; Christmas season.
Historical Notes
Wesley's original began 'Hark, how all the welkin rings.' Whitefield altered it in 1753 to the familiar opening. Mendelssohn's music was adapted by W. H. Cummings in 1855.
About the Tune
MENDELSSOHN — from Mendelssohn's 'Festgesang' (1840) for the Gutenberg anniversary; Mendelssohn thought it unsuitable for sacred words.
Scripture References
Luke 2:13-14 2 Cor 5:18-19 John 1:14 Isa 7:14 Col 2:9 Mal 4:2 John 3:3-7 Hag 2:7 Gal 4:19
Stanza by Stanza
The angels sing glory to the newborn King, peace on earth and gentle mercy, God and sinners reconciled; all nations should rise and join heaven's triumph, proclaiming Christ born in Bethlehem.
Luke 2:14 summarized in theological terms. 'God and sinners reconciled' is the Gospel in four words (2 Cor 5:18-19; Rom 5:10). Reconciliation is God's action: he reconciles sinners to himself through Christ. 'Peace on earth' is first peace with God (Rom 5:1), then peace among people. 'Joyful, all ye nations, rise' — the birth concerns every people. The 'triumph of the skies' joins earth to heaven's worship.
- Scripture
- Luke 2:10-14, 2 Cor 5:18-19, Rom 5:1, 10, Isa 9:6-7
- Imagery & language
- Heralds; triumph; nations rising.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — reconciliation.
- Connection to previous
- Opening announcement.
Christ, worshiped by heaven and eternal Lord, comes late in time as the child of a virgin; see God veiled in flesh, hail the incarnate Deity, pleased to live with humans as man — Jesus, our Immanuel.
One of the finest Christological stanzas in English hymnody. 'Everlasting Lord' — Christ's eternal deity (John 1:1). 'Late in time' — Gal 4:4 ('when the fullness of time had come'). 'Offspring of a virgin's womb' — Isa 7:14. 'Veiled in flesh the Godhead see' — the divine nature is hidden, not diminished, in his human nature (Col 2:9; Phil 2:7). 'Hail the incarnate Deity' — the child is God. 'Pleased as Man with man to dwell' — John 1:14 ('dwelt' = tabernacled among us). 'Immanuel' — God with us (Matt 1:23). Lutherans confess this unity of natures in one person (FC VIII).
- Scripture
- John 1:1, 14, Gal 4:4, Isa 7:14, Col 2:9, Phil 2:6-7, Matt 1:23, Heb 1:6
- Imagery & language
- Veil of flesh; dwelling.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — incarnation.
- Connection to previous
- Who it is that is born.
Hail the Prince of Peace and Sun of Righteousness who brings light and life, risen with healing; he leaves heaven humbly, born so that people need not die, born to raise them and give them a second birth.
Isa 9:6 ('Prince of Peace') and Mal 4:2 ('the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings') — 'risen' hints at Easter. 'Light and life' (John 1:4). The three 'born to' lines give the purpose of the incarnation: so that people 'no more may die' (John 11:25-26), to 'raise the sons of earth' (resurrection, 1 Cor 15:22), and to 'give them second birth' (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). Lutherans connect the second birth to Baptism, the washing of regeneration. Christmas is for Easter and for Baptism.
- Scripture
- Isa 9:6, Mal 4:2, John 1:4, John 11:25-26, 1 Cor 15:22, John 3:3-7, Titus 3:5, Phil 2:7
- Imagery & language
- Prince; sun; healing wings; second birth.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — purpose of the incarnation.
- Connection to previous
- Why he was born.
Christ, Desire of nations, is asked to come and make his humble home in us, to give himself to all and be formed in each believing heart; the angels' song is repeated.
'Desire of nations' comes from Hag 2:7 (KJV), traditionally read messianically. 'Fix in us Thy humble home' — Christ born in Bethlehem is now to dwell in believers (Eph 3:17). 'Formed in each believing heart' quotes Gal 4:19 ('until Christ is formed in you'). The stanza turns the historical birth into a present reality through faith. Repeating the reconciliation refrain grounds this prayer in Christ's objective work.
- Scripture
- Hag 2:7, Eph 3:17, Gal 4:19, Col 1:27, John 14:23
- Imagery & language
- Home; formation in the heart.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — Christ dwelling in us.
- Connection to previous
- Applies the incarnation to the believer.
Themes
Christmas Incarnation Angels Praise