Angels We Have Heard On High

From Carols & Lessons for Advent on YouVersion

First off, let’s start off with the song and the lyrics, then we’ll discuss the reason we sing this classic.

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?
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

See within in a manger laid
Jesus Lord of Heav'n and Earth
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
With us sing our Savior's birth

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Glory to God in the highest . . . ! (Luke 2:14)

Not surprisingly, angels figure prominently in a lot of Christmas carols. “Angels We Have Heard on High” is another one. This traditional French carol and tune has us once more reliving in song the familiar story of Luke 2, this time from the perspective of the shepherds.

This Christmas favorite is also one of the very few times that Protestants enthusiastically sing in Latin, as we belt out the carol’s refrain, 

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

(Or Glo-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-ri-a in excelsis Deo!)

That refrain, of course, is the angels’ praise song—“Glory to God in the highest!” In singing this we seem to be playing the part of the mountains, “echoing their joyous strains.” Maybe this is what the psalmist meant when he said, “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes . . .” (Ps. 98:8-9).

The carol’s final stanza invites us to join the shepherds in Bethlehem’s stable.

Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

We have even better reason to come and adore than they did. True, the shepherds actually saw and heard the angels. But we know the whole story—not only that he came, but why; not only that he would save, but how.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:1-14