What better reason to sing than this: the Savior is born
To live, die, and rise again to fix what sin had broken.
The angels sang when Jesus came, but they’re not the only ones who sing; we human beings sing. We can’t stop singing. Children sing, and old men sing. People from every period of history sang. People from every place, of every race, and of every ethnicity sing. If you listen carefully, you will notice that we tend to sing about what has captured our hearts. We sing about what makes us sad. We sing about what makes us happy. We sing about people we love. We sing about our hopes and dreams. We sing about what’s important to us. We sing silly songs about what makes us laugh. We sing about what makes us angry. We sing songs of love, exhortation, comfort, and warning. There’s probably not a day in your life where you haven’t sung or haven’t heard a song. We sing; the question is, what song has your heart?
Could there be any more important song than the song the angels sang of the birth of the One who came as the hope of humanity? The song of the angels should make your heart sing. And may the songs of Jesus written since then capture your heart not only during this Christmas season, but every day of your life. Let the words of these songs about the birth of Jesus sink into your heart in a new way today. And may they help your heart to find rest and satisfaction in the person, work, and presence of Jesus!
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
Christ, by highest heav’n adored: Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come, Offspring of the virgin’s womb.
Veil’d in flesh, the Godhead see; Hail, th’incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail! the heav’n born Prince of peace! Hail! the Son 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. Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
“Joy to the World”
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love
And wonders of his love
And wonder wonders of his love
“O Come All Ye Faithful”
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n; Word of the Father,
Now in the flesh appearing,
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
“Silent Night”
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light. Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord, at thy birth
Jesus Lord, at thy birth
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
O come, O Rod of Jesse’s stem,
From ev’ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow’r to save; Bring them in vict’ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, O Key of David, come, And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, our Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne”
Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown, when thou camest to earth for me;
but in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room for thy holy nativity.
Refrain:
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.
Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
that should set thy children free;
but with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn, they bore thee to Calvary.
When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing, at thy coming to victory,
let thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room, there is room at my side for thee.”
For further study: Psalm 95
For parents and children:
Central theme: The Songs We Sing
Tell your children that God commands us to sing (Eph. 5:18– 19; Col. 3:16). Then ask them why God would think it’s so important for us to sing that he would command us to do it. Help them to understand that singing focuses our hearts on what makes us happy, what makes us sad, what makes us laugh, and what we think is important. Ask them what their favorite Christmas song is, and sing a couple of their choices. Then help them to understand that there is nothing more wonderful to sing about than the birth of the One who came to earth to give us new life.