The document discusses the hymn "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" by Charles Wesley and George Whitefield set to music by Felix Mendelssohn. It was based on the account of the angels appearing to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-15 to announce the birth of Jesus. The summary provides analysis of each verse highlighting the key theological messages about Jesus as the incarnate God, Prince of Peace, Savior, and victor over sin who brings light, life, healing and salvation to humanity. It examines the original biblical text and theological meaning behind phrases in the hymn.

1. Hark the Herald Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and
George Whitefield
Luke 2:8–15 1

2. Our Big Idea
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a
joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us
come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us
make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Psalm 95:1–2 2

3. Hark the Herald
Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and George Whitefield
Music
Felix Mendelssohn
Luke 2:8–15
3

4. Hot off the press! Resistance to new songs in the church.
There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it’s too new.
Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous. The new Christian
music is not as pleasant as the more established style.
Because there are so many songs, you can’t learn them all. It
puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than
Godly lyrics.
This new music creates disturbances making people act
indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along
without it. It’s a money-making scene and some of these new
music upstarts are lewd and loose.
4

5. Worship Wars Nothing New
In 700 AD When the Gregorian Chant became the official music of the church, it was characterized by a single monophonic
unaccompanied melody sung only by men. Later young boys with unchanged voices started singing with the men. There
were many who objected. Later harmony was added to the music of the church but many were against it.
When Luther started writing hymns for the church in 1517 there was a great revolt.
In 1540 Calvin stated that only the Old Testament Psalms sung in a metrical rhythm were appropriate for worship. This
caused great division amonin church between Calvin’s followers and Luther’s.
Near 1750 the Wesley brothers wrote hymns that taught theology and doctrine. It again caused great struggle among church
leaders.
The music of the 1880’s Sunday School Era was looked down on by many because the hymns and testimony songs being
written were subjective (personal) and not objective (directed toward God). Many thought there was no room for music like
that in the church.
Jazz influences of the early twentieth century brought out an edict from the Pope that the piano was forbidden in the
Catholic church, because of its worldly influences.
Soon after came the Jesus movement with drums, bass, guitars, and other instruments. Choruses and praise songs were
following close behind and all of it was hotly debated in the church.
Over the years, there have been church and denominational splits, personal strife, and relationships broken causing those in
the church to bitterly quarrel and those outside the church to look at the church with contempt.
5

6. Christian Warfare
From whence come wars and
fightings among you? come they
not hence, even of your lusts that
war in your members?
James 4:1 (KJV) 6

7. This creates divisions
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind
and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10 7

8. Dividers defined
These are grumblers, malcontents,
following their own sinful desires; they are
loud-mouthed boasters, showing
favoritism to gain advantage. The Apostles
of our Lord Jesus Christ said to you, “In
the last time there will be scoffers,
following their own ungodly passions.” It
is these who cause divisions, worldly
people, devoid of the Spirit.
Jude 16–19 (ESV) 8

9. Avoiding the
War
Hark the Herald Angel Sings
9

10. Deborah and Barak
The leaders took the lead in Israel, and the
people offered themselves willingly, bless the
LORD! Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to
the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the
LORD, the God of Israel.
Judges 5:2–3 10

11. Lyrical Teaching
Unity
Leaders led
People followed
Direction
To the Lord
11

12. The Song of Moses
I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed
gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown
into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my
song, and he has become my salvation; this is
my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God,
and I will exalt him.
Exodus 15:1–2 12

13. Harmony
Unity
The Lord
Who He is
What He has done
13

14. Miriam’s Verse
Then Miriam the prophetess…took a tambourine in
her hand, and all the women went out after her with
tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Exodus 15:20–21 (ESV) 14

15. Has a good beat and you can dance to it
Unity
Expressive
Directed at the people
Honoring to the Lord
15

16. A New Testament Worship Set
…be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving
thanks always and for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to
one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:18b–21 16

17. Three-Part Harmony
Spirit-led
Father is glorified
In Jesus name
Musical
Heartfelt
Submissive 17

18. Hark the Herald Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and
George Whitefield
Luke 2:8–15 18

19. Our Text
And in the same region there were shepherds out
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were filled with great fear. And the angel
said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you
good news of great joy that will be for all the
Luke 2:8–15 (ESV) 19

20. Our Text
people. For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will
be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of
the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace among
Luke 2:8–15 (ESV) 20

21. Our Text
those with whom he is pleased!” When the
angels went away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
Luke 2:8–15 (ESV) 21

22. The Original Version
Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace among those
with whom he is pleased!
Luke 2:14 (ESV) 22

23. Hark the Herald Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and George Whitefield
Music
Felix Mendelssohn
Luke 2:8–15 23

24. Peanuts
Sally gets it right?
24

25. History
It was written by Charles Wesley in 1739 was an
English Methodist leader and hymn writer. 6,000+
hymns.
His goal in writing hymns was to teach the poor
and illiterate sound doctrine.
Methodism was born in song and Charles was the
chief songwriter.
25

26. Original Score(s)
Lyra Davidica “Christ the Lord has Risen Today”
Handel’s “See, the Conquering Hero Comes”
Mendelssohn “Gutenberg Cantata”
26

27. Hark the Herald Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and George Whitefield
Music
Felix Mendelssohn
Luke 2:8–15 27

28. The message
I bring you good news of great joy which will be
for all the people; for today in the city of David
there has been born for you a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord…Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He
is pleased.
28

29. First Verse
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth & mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
29

30. First Verse
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th’angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
30

31. All Verses Tell Us to Listen
Hark! The herald angels sing
The event of the Herald Angels is the vehicle
Listen to good theology
31

32. Listen!
The Messiah is born
Peace and mercy
Reconciliation of man to God
32

33. The message
The Birth of Jesus will cause us to be at peace with
God.
Ephesians 2:3–4 we all once lived in the passions of
our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the
mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the
rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy,
because of the great love with which he loved us,
What is reconciliation? 2 Corinthians 5:19 in Christ
God was reconciling the world to himself, not
counting their trespasses against them
33

34. 2nd Verse
Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
34

35. 2nd Verse
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald-angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King”
35

36. Christ the anointed one
Everlasting Lord
The Godhead
Incarnate Deity
Our Emmanuel
36

37. Identifies with the everlasting God
Do you not know? Have you
not heard? The Everlasting
God, the Lord, the Creator of
the ends of the earth…
37
Isaiah 40:28

38. The Godhead
For since the creation of the world
His invisible attributes are clearly
seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead…
Romans 1:20 (NKJV) 38

39. Incarnate God
[Christ Jesus], who, being in the form of
God, did not consider it robbery to be
equal with God, but made Himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness
of men. And being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself…
Philippians 2:6–8 (NKJV) 39

40. Immanuel
BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH
CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND
THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME
IMMANUEL,” which translated
means, “GOD WITH US.”
Matthew 1:23 40

41. 3rd Verse
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
41

42. 3rd Verse
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!”
42

43. More Names of God
Prince of Peace
Son of Righteousness
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government
will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Malachi 4:2 (NASB95)
2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of
righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and
you will go forth and skip about like calves from the
stall.
43

44. What gifts He brings
Light and life
Healing
Eternal life/Elevation
New Birth
44

45. 4th verse
Come, Desire of Nations, come,
Fix in us thy heav'nly Home;
Rise the Woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's Head.
Adam's Likeness now efface,
45

46. 4th Verse
Stamp thy Image in its Place;
Second Adam from above,
Work it in us by thy Love.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
46

47. Victory over sin
By Christ
In us
47

48. Desire of Nations?
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is
a little while, and I will shake the heavens,
and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of
all nations shall come: and I will fill this
house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.
Haggai is 2:6,7 48

49. Desire of nations
Indwelling Holy Spirit
Victory over sin
49

50. Second Adam
For as in Adam all die, so also in
Christ all will be made alive. But each
in his own order: Christ the first
fruits, after that those who are
Christ’s at His coming,
50
1 Corinthians 15:22–23

51. Wesley’s Lost verse
Now display thy saving Pow'r,
Ruin'd Nature now restore,
Now in Mystic Union join
Thine to Ours, and Ours to Thine.
51

52. Wesley’s lost verse
Let us Thee, tho' lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Inner Man:
O! to All Thyself impart,
Form'd in each Believing Heart.
52

53. The Restoration of All Things
Saving power
Restoration of nature
Union with Christ
Abundant Life 53

54. Hark the Herald Angel Sings
Lyrics
Charles Wesley and George Whitefield
Music
Felix Mendelssohn
Luke 2:8–15 54