Carols of Christmas: Angels We Have Heard on High
If you attend a holiday concert or hear Christmas carols in some other setting this season, you are quite likely to hear at least a few that refer to angels. You’ll see representations of angels in Christmas pageants, jewelry, Christmas tree decorations, Christmas cards and you may even see sugar cookies in the shape of angels! What role did they play surrounding the birth of Christ? “Angels We Have Heard on High,” a traditional French carol, will be our focus in this study as we consider another Carol of Christmas.
Note: This carol is found several places on the web, including http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/n/angelswe.htm
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.
