"Angels We Have Heard on High"

 

We all love singing the stirring Christmas hymn, “Angels, We have Heard on High.” The words are good; the melody is good, and the refrain is thrilling.

Chorus:
“Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.”

Now, just what does “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” mean? We sing it loudly and joyfully every Christmas, but do we know what we are singing? You’ve heard the words many times before.

“Glory to God in the Highest”

“In essence, the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" is a remarkably concise yet powerful summary of core Christian beliefs. It encapsulates praise, adoration, and supplication directed towards the Holy Trinity . . . The hymn's enduring power lies in its ability to connect the worshipper to the divine, fostering a sense of awe, gratitude, and profound connection with the source of all being. It's a timeless invitation to join in the celestial chorus, singing Words to Glory to God in the highest.” Linguisimo.com

This is a hymn of praise and adoration, expressing profound reverence and gratitude to the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

“French legend indicates that in medieval times on Christmas Eve, the shepherds would sing and call to one another from one hillside to another.  ‘They would call “’Gloria in excelsis Deo’ which means ‘glory to God in the highest’ in Latin. It was how they would spread their holiday message and cheer from points far away to one another. From hillside to valley, the shepherd’s song must have truly sounded like angels calling to one another in celebration of the birth of Christ for the Christians living in nearby regions. Also, the song reflects the shepherd’s joy that the time of the holiday season has arrived yet again.” Dianaleaghmatthews.com

The next time you sing this popular Christmas hymn, remember you’re actually singing: “Glory to God in the Highest.” Here are the great verses!

“Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains.

“Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavn'ly song?

“Come to Bethlehem and see Him 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.”

"Glory to God in the Highest!"

By His Grace . . . 

Angels From the Realms of Glory

 

“Saints, before the altar bending, Watching long in hope and fear;

Suddenly the Lord, descending, In His temple shall appear.”

That description is familiar. We, the saints of God, bow before Him, anxiously waiting for our Savior to return. We watch the news for world developments and listen to prophecy hoping the signs of our Savior will be soon.

Our hope is sure. We know it is going to happen. We just wish it was now. At least older saints that I’m around wishes it was now. We’ve lived our most productive years and look forward to when Jesus comes again. Younger saints know the story and believe it is true. Yet, their life is before them, and they may not be as anxious as older saints.

James Montgomery wrote this hymn. He lost his parents as a young boy. They were missionaries to the island of Barbados. He never saw them again when they sailed away.

Yet, James was devoted to Christ and God’s Word, and he championed the cause of foreign missions and the British Bible Society. He found his niche in writing. When he was forty-five years old, he opened his Bible to Luke 2 and impressed by verse 13, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,” he wrote this hymn. 

Psalm 148:2

“Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His heavenly hosts!”

Enduringword.com: “The psalmist called upon all angelic beings to give God praise. This is the constant occupation of the living creatures surrounding God’s throne (Revelation 4:8). The company of faithful angels is like a great army (all His hosts).”

This Christmas hymn is a favorite. The chorus invites us to worship: “Come and worship, come and worship; Worship Christ, the newborn King!”

One day we will be in the company of the heavenly host and will praise God with them. Until then, let’s not give up on our hope; let’s not get tired of waiting. Let’s rejoice and be thankful, singing: “Come and worship!”

By His Grace . . . 

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"

 

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.’”

Henry W. Longfellow, author of this hymn, was an American poet whose name is well known. His first wife, Mary Potter, died in 1835 after a miscarriage. His second wife, Frances Appleton, died in 1861 after sustaining burns when her dress caught fire. After her death, Longfellow had difficulty writing poetry for a time and focused on translating works from foreign languages.

On Friday, December 25, 1863, Longfellow—as a 57-year-old widowed father of six children, the oldest of which had been nearly paralyzed as his country fought a war against itself, wrote a poem seeking to capture the dissonance in his own heart and the world he observes around him that Christmas Day.

He heard the Christmas bells ringing in Cambridge and the singing of “peace on earth, good-will to men” and was deeply inspired by the Christmas season. Despite his personal tragedies, Longfellow remained resilient and found solace in his faith. In “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” Longfellow expresses his desire for peace and reconciliation and his belief that one day, all will be made right in the world.

Our God is very much alive and in control. He never sleeps. He is all that is right and true. He wins.

Sometimes it’s hard to be happy at Christmas. People are always going through the problems and ugliness of life here on earth. People say, “I just want to get through it.” I’ve been there. I think most people have.

As Longfellow found out, the bells still ring and God is still in control. Grab your bells! Find a church that rings bells! Go online and hear the bells ring! “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep!’” Amen! Hallelujah! Our God reigns!

By His Grace . . . 

"Silent Night"

 

“Silent night, holy night, Son of God, loves pure light

Radiant beams from Thy Holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.”

 Radiant beams. Light. The face of our Lord shines forth so bright we can’t imagine what it will be like.

We’ve read about this radiant light. In Exodus 34:29: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.”

 Enduringword.com: “It is true that a life lived with God affects physical appearance, especially the face. The peace, joy, love, and goodness of God should be evident on the face of the one who follows Jesus. Yet what Moses experienced seems beyond that general principle, and a direct result of his remarkable communication with God (his face shone while he talked with Him) . . . “The radiance of Moses’ shining face was a reflected radiance, a received glory. The source was the face of God, and as Moses communicated so directly with God his face received some of this shining glory. “The face of Moses shone because he had long looked upon the face of God.” (Spurgeon)

Revelation 1:16, Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 also speak about His radiance.

The dawn of Redeeming Grace. When Jesus was born, Gods Redeeming Grace was born also.

Luke 1:68

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.”

Godsbless.ing: “Isn’t it truly awe-inspiring to see Zechariah’s gratitude and praise for God sending a Savior to redeem His people? We witness the profound significance of God’s ultimate act of love and mercy towards humanity in this verse. Through the Savior, God displays His unwavering commitment to His people, offering them a path to redemption and salvation . . . Zechariah’s praise encapsulates a deep sense of gratitude and reverence for the Savior who brings hope and salvation to a world in need. Let us ponder the profound message of redemption and salvation conveyed in this verse as we appreciate the magnitude of God’s love.”

As you sing “Silent Night” this year and say the words “Radiant beams” and “Redeeming Grace” may your heart be filled with overflowing thanks for all God did for us and continues to do throughout now and all eternity.

By His Grace . . . 

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

“O Come, Thou Wisdom from on high, And order all things, far and nigh;

To us the path of knowledge show, And cause us in her ways to go.”

Knowledge. A good thing to have. God’s knowledge. The best thing to have. For He is all knowledge.

Most of us go through 12 years of schooling, learning and applying the things we’ve been taught. Some of us go on for higher education for two, four or eight more years. It is good to learn and have knowledge as we go about life, preparing us for our life work and service to God.

The best knowledge we can obtain is in God’s Word. That should begin when we are saved and have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. That very day we should start reading His Word and applying ourselves to learn everything we can.

We won’t learn everything. Even if we begin as a child, we will never learn everything there is to know about God. Yet we keep applying ourselves to study. We continually grow in our knowledge and mature in our faith, even until the day we are called home.

Biblehub.com: “The concept of God's knowledge is a profound and intricate aspect of Christian theology. It encompasses His omniscience, wisdom, and the manner in which He interacts with His creation. God's knowledge is not only vast and comprehensive but also deeply personal and relational.”

I like that it’s personal and relational. That’s because God wants a personal relationship with us. God says: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11

He wants to be close to us so He can depart the knowledge we need to live our lives and succeed. Our God wants to be our closest friend and advisor.

Godsbless.ing: “This verse, Jeremiah 29:11, reminds us that God has a purpose and plan for each of us. It offers reassurance that His intentions for us are positive, filled with hope, and a promising future. It serves as a comforting message that no matter what we may be currently facing, God has a plan that will ultimately lead us to a place of hope and prosperity.

“When we wholeheartedly seek God, we open ourselves up to His guidance and direction. We align ourselves with His intentions for us and allow His plans to unfold in our lives by prioritizing our relationship with Him. It urges us to have faith and trust that even when things may seem uncertain, God’s plans for us are far greater than we can imagine.”

Get all the knowledge and understanding you can as you study God’s Word. It will lead you upon a path that promises God’s guidance and direction.

To us the path of knowledge show, And cause us in her ways to go.”

By His Grace . . . 

Picture from Created From the Hart Facebook Page

Sweet Hour of Prayer

“And bids me at my Father’s throne Make all my wants and wishes known!

What are we to do when we pray to God? We are to tell Him everything. Every need. Every concern. Every wish. Every blessing. Everything.

We don’t always do that. When we hurt, sometimes it is hard to express our need in words. Sometimes only tears can express what we are feeling.

When we’ve done wrong, it’s hard to confess words that make us cry now.

We can aways thank God for our blessings. That’s easy. When something good happens, the first thing we should do in our mind and heart is say, “Thank you, God!”

It seems to be easiest for us to tell God all we want and wish to have. Self wants are hard to keep quiet. He wants us to tell Him. But how do we express those wishes and wants? Hopefully, with respect.

I believe He enjoys giving us wants and wishes, but only if they agree with His Will.

Psalm 37:4

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Enduringword.com: "This is a wonderful and even safe promise. The one who truly delights in the LORD will find his heart and desires changed, steadily aligning with God’s own good desires for his life. Thus we see that finding delight in God is a key to a happy, satisfied life."

Billy Graham said: “One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the privilege of prayer—a privilege that is possible because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Thank God for the privilege of prayer and learn daily to ‘Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you’ (1 Peter 5:7).”

And, I believe, all our wants and wishes too, for He delights in blessing us!

By His Grace . . . 

"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded"

 

“O make me Thine forever, And should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never Out live my love to Thee.”

Is that your heart’s desire? “Never, never out live my love to Thee.” Do you say it with conviction? Does it touch a nerve in your mind to always be on the lookout for a lapse in faithfulness to God?

Every time I read a line that says: “Never, never” it causes me to pause and evaluate. A number of times in my life I have said, “I will never” about a particular thing. As a young mother I remember saying I will never go back to work outside my home. I will stay home with my children and be a homemaker. I remember eating those words.

“Never” can be a scary word. Never: at no time in the past or future; on no occasion; not ever.

Is it possible to outlive my love for God? Not if my faith is steadfast and sure. Not if I am safe and secure in His love. Not if I trust implicitly that my life is in God’s Hands.

Psalm 62:2 says: “Truly He is my Rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Scripturesavvy.com: “I will never be shaken.” This is a declaration of confidence in God’s unchanging nature. When we place our faith in Him, no external circumstances or pressures can easily sway us. We can stand firm and remain resolute . . . When David declares, “I will never be shaken,” it reveals an assurance rooted in faith. This is not merely the absence of fear or doubt; it is a faith that actively repels those feelings. We exclaim this affirmation, knowing that even amidst the toughest of storms, our foundation remains secure. Our trust in God is like a strong anchor in life’s turbulent waters, ensuring we stay steady. It is through this trust that we cultivate a spirit of resilience, ready to face whatever challenges come our way.

May we boldly say we will never, never out live our love for God!

By His Grace . . .