Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is one of my favorite Christmas carols. But almost three centuries have passed since it was composed, and the meaning of some of its lines may not be immediately obvious to everyone who sings this fine song. What do these words actually signify? Here is a line-by-line brief commentary on Charles Wesley’s famous Christmas hymn.

Hark!

Means “Listen up!” Pay attention to what the angels are singing.

The herald angels sing

A herald is an announcer of good news. These angels are singing of a coming king. (Technically in the Bible the angels only “praise” and “say” these words; nothing is written about “singing”…though the text also doesn’t say they ɱ’t singing! See Luke 2:13-14).

Glory to the newborn King

The angels give glory, or praise, to the newborn King. The angels announce that the baby Jesus is the king that first-century Jewish people longed for.

Peace on earth, and mercy mild

“Peace” refers to the ceasing of hostilities; it isn’t simply an inner feeling of calm. “Mild” means humble. The King clothed himself in humility to bring peace and extend mercy to undeserving sinners.

God and sinners reconciled!

Reconciliation means bringing together in peace those who are enemies. Sin has separated us from God and thereby made us enemies. The reason Jesus came to earth as a baby was to clear the path for God and sinners to be brought into loving relationship with one another.

Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies

This is a call for all people everywhere to join the announcement of the angels (“the triumph of the skies”).

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

Let us alongside the army of angels (“angelic host”) announce to all the world that Christ is born in Bethlehem!

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

Christ, by highest Heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord

Before his birth in Bethlehem, Jesus (the Christ/Messiah/Anointed One) existed eternally as Lord and God of everything. He was adored by all the angels and other heavenly beings (cf. Philippians 2:5-8; cf. Isaiah 9:6 “eternal God”).

Late in time

God waited until just the right time to send Jesus. Galatians 4:4 reads: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son” (cf. 1 Peter 1:20; Hebrews 1:1-2).

Behold Him come

“Behold” means “Look at” or “Gaze upon.” As part of this poetic song, it is a call to mentally gaze upon the newborn baby who is himself God.

Offspring of a virgin’s womb

Jesus was born in fulfillment of the expectation that Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22).

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

The “Godhead” is another way to refer to God. In Christian theology, Godhead is usually a simple synonym for Trinity. In this rich line, the hymnist is calling singers to look to Jesus if we want to know what God is like — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We could easily miss that God is with us since he is “veiled in flesh” and hidden to our eye — because we don’t expect to see God in the skin of a baby boy (cf. Hebrews 10:19-20; John 1:14).

Hail the incarnate Deity

“Hail” means to greet or welcome with enthusiasm. “Incarnate” means “in the flesh.” “Deity” is another word for God. In other words: Greet with enthusiasm the God who is a baby in human flesh (cf. Colossians 2:9).

Pleased with us in flesh to dwell

Jesus was not reluctant about coming to earth in a human body (“in flesh) to live (“to dwell”). He came willingly (“pleased”) (cf. John 1:14).

Jesus our Emmanuel

“Emmanuel” or “Immanuel” means “God with us.” Isaiah 7:14 gets quoted in Matthew 1:23 and applied to Jesus’s birth: “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” Jesus is God living among us.

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

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Jesus did not start to exist when he was born on earth. He came from heaven. Greet with enthusiasm the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

This line comes from Malachi 4:2: “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” Greet with enthusiasm Jesus who is the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Isaiah 9:2 reads: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” Jesus offers the light of truth to all. He described himself as the “light of the world” who offers the “light of life” (John 8:12) and as “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Jesus is the revelation of God (“light”), bringing “life” to all who will receive it.

Ris’n with healing in His wings

Once again, we are directed back to Malachi 4:2, “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” The expression “sun of righteousness” focuses on the person of Jesus.

Mild He lays His glory by

This is another reference to the incarnation of Jesus, that is, that God became human. The glory that he had in heaven, he humbly (“mild”) laid it aside; that is, he chose not to exercise the privileges and power that he had as God while he lived on earth as a man.

Born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth

These lines extol the greatest news ever proclaimed to the world! The reason Jesus was born in a manger was to make a way for all who will place their trust in Jesus to start a brand-new life (“second birth,” see John 3:3). They will be resurrected on the final day (“raise the sons of earth,” see 2 Corinthians 4:14) and will receive eternal life (“that man no more may die” see John 11:25-26).

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

Glory to the newborn King! Glory to the newborn King!

—ĔĔ-

Addendum:

Did you know that there are two more verses to the original version of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing? We don’t often sing these verses, but they are full of rich spiritual truths. Here are those verses (without commentary):

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 pow’r, Ruined nature now restore;

Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

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

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:

Oh, to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart.

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

(Charles Wesley, 1739)

—ĔĔē

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