Charles Wesley’s original 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,
Formed in each believing heart.
The Rescue Mission Auxiliary held its Christmas celebration yesterday, and we were blessed to have Trevor Mast lead us in a Christmas hymn sing. Some of you locals may know of Trevor; he's an extraordinarily gifted pianist and recording artist. And he loves and honors the Lord with his music. There are many Christmas carols that I really like, and some I could do without (especially "Away In A Manger"), but "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" is probably my favorite. I love it for all the doctrines about Christ contained within the verses, and I love it for the majestic nature in which it is sung. While singing this carol yesterday, I almost raised my hand in adoration at "God and sinners reconciled," and "born that man no more may die." I had to ponder again where I would be without that reconciliation, and it's not a pleasant thought. Praise God for our reconciliation through Jesus' blood.
"For it pleased the Father that in Him (Jesus) all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1:19-20
"For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." II Corinthians 5:17-20
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