For the last two posts I’ve shared journal-contemplations from the first two stanzas of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” As with most hymns and praise songs, it’s easy to sing through the lyrics and miss their full significance.
But when we put pen to paper and delve into word meanings, explore implications of the lyrics, and ponder the impressions God brings to our spirits, wonderful blessings emerge: increased understanding of God and his Word, renewal of the mind, and augmented intimacy with God.
Contemplations become worship.
With those thoughts in mind, let’s savor the third stanza:
Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
I praise You, Lord Jesus, the only One who can mediate reconciliation between the sin-prone people we are and the righteous God of heaven. Without You, we’d have no hope of eternal life.
I praise You also for the peace of mind you provide as we affirm Your attributes. By Your omnipotent strength you will uphold, and by Your omniscient wisdom You will guide, until our days on earth are complete. We are safe in Your hands (1).
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and Life to all He brings
I praise You, Lord Jesus, that Your radiant presence brings comfort, joy, and prosperity of soul.
Your Light of truth obliterates the lies of our enemy and brings us closer to You.
From Your Light shine beams of blessing such as these:
- The variety of wholesome pleasures in this world, benefiting us in mind, body, and spirit
- The love of family and friends, increasing our joy
- The ability to read and learn, providing knowledge and wisdom
- The delight of hands, allowing us to pursue a myriad of satisfying activities (2)
Risen with healing in His wings
I praise You, Lord God, for raising Jesus from the dead. Because He’s alive, we who believe in Him can be confident of eternal life also.
One day Your Son will come on swift wings, ready to bestow perfect healing upon all who’ve come to Him. Our healing from the sickness of sin that causes so much woe will finally be complete. There will be no more pain and suffering, no more harm and brokenness, no more sorrow or death!
But even now, Lord Jesus, just as beams from the sun bring health to every living thing, You bring health to our spirits—a deep-down contentment only You can provide (3).
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die
I praise You, Lord Jesus, for laying aside Your glory as the Son of God. You left Your celestial throne, the unceasing adoration of angels, and all the splendors of paradise to be born a helpless baby.
During your earthly life, few praised You as You deserved; many found fault with Your glorious perfections.
Nevertheless, You see worth in every human being; you desire that everyone accept God’s gift of eternal life, that “man no more may die.”
I praise You for saving us from the death-sentence of our sin (4).
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.
I praise You, Lord Jesus, for the transformed life You offer, raising each believer out of his plight of eternal death and into the pleasure of eternal life with You–pleasures that begin the moment we say yes to You.
Those gifts include:
- Security, because our final destiny is secure, and in the meantime You’re always with us, working toward our best good
- Provision of guidance, strength, help and more
- Rest for our souls, as Your Spirit of counsel and power takes up residence in our spirits
- Gladness, as we celebrate Your work around us and in us
One day, Lord God, You will raise all Your children into the magnificence of Your heaven! With joyful expectation we anticipate the wonders You’ve planned for us.
Thank You for making possible this second birth into Your family. All the amazing blessings highlighted in this carol come to us when we choose adoption into Your family (5).
I praise You, Lord Jesus, for providing reconciliation with God, ultimate victory over death, over-arching peace and joy, healing for the wounds of our spirits, and more.
Glory to You, my magnificent, sovereign King!
Notes:
- Acts 4:12; 2 Timothy 4:18
- Psalm 23:4; John 15:11; Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 4:12
- John 6:40; Revelation 21:4; Psalm 23:1-3
- Philippians 2:6-7; Revelation 5:11-12; 2 Peter 3:8; Romans 6:23
- John 11:26; Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:28; Isaiah 11:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Psalm 92:4; John 14:3; 2 Corinthians 4:14; John 14:3
Photo credits: Nancy Ruegg; http://www.openclipart.com; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.open.life.church/resources; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.heartlight.org.
From the Inside Out 
Once again, Nancy, you’ve transformed each verse of this hymn into an opportunity to reflect, meditate, understand and worship the Lord more fully and completely. All praise to God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy spirit, three in one!
Continue to have a blessed Advent, my friend!
Thank you, Martha. Maybe next year I’ll reflect on three more verses of this ten-verse hymn–if I can find them. Most hymnals don’t include them all. But perhaps some carol-loving, history buff will have posted them online!
This is one of my favorite Christmas carols – so packed with great theology! Have a wonderful Christmas, Nancy. 🙂
I certainly have learned much as I researched some of the key terms and phraseology in this hymn. I pray you also are enjoying a blessed Advent season, Annie, enjoying all your favorite carols!
I have been having a wonderful time, Nancy, especially singing carols. I wrote some verses for “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” after our choir director said how much he loved that song and opined that it needed more than two verses. This was the first year they were actually added to the score. To hear my church and their guests singing those lyrics at the Christmas program was thrilling.
What an inspired idea, Annie, to add more verses to that carol. (Wesley wrote TEN for “Hark-the Herald!”) I can imagine how thrilling it was to hear your church sing the lyrics God gave rise to in your spirit!
Our church does something with their hymns that I really love. Often the instruments stop at the last verse, and the congregation sings it a capella, in four-part harmony. It always makes me feel like I’m in heaven for a moment, and when they were singing lyrics the Lord had given me, yes, it blessed me more than I can say. ❤
I would really love that too! What a talented congregation you have. Whenever we sing a capella at our church, all I hear is the melody.
Indeed it MUST have been a glorious thrill to hear the congregation sing the lyrics God gave you!
To paraphrase what you wrote: I am grateful for the peace of mind He provides as He guides us through these last days here on earth. I’m so very thankful for the promise that until and beyond the Rapture…we are safe in His hands forever. These are, indeed, disturbing times but He provides the strength we need to endure.
Amen, my friend. Important truths to keep in mind!
This whole blog post is prayer! Thank you.
Yes, my reflections did take the form of prayer. Wesley’s carol offers much to praise God for!
Great truths! Thanks for sharing this wonderful carol with us.
You’re welcome, Barb. I must say, “Hark the Herald” holds much more meaning for me now, having journaled through these lyrics. Charles Wesley succeeded in weaving many tenets of our faith into this one carol!
Thank you Nancy for helping me slow down and appreciate the wonder of our Lord found in the timeless hymns. This time of year it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of the world around us.
Anita
So true, Anita. It’s been a blessing to me to meditate on this carol the last few weeks. Sometimes tears have stung my eyes while contemplating all that God our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have done for us, continue to do every day, and will do for us into eternity! I’m so glad you found wonder in this hymn also!
Wonderful way you take us through the carols. Have you read John Wesley’s biography. Does your church go out and sing Christmas Carols? Merry Christmas, Nancy!
Thank you, Sam. I know some of John Wesley’s story; I even wrote a post about him! But I’ve never read a whole biography. I should! / No, our church doesn’t go caroling. That doesn’t seem as popular these days as it once was!
It is odd that churches don’t do that. My hiking group did it one year. You will enjoy Wesley’s biography with all your spare time that you don’t have.
Amen! This is such a power packed hymn. The third stanza is my favorite. Have a lovely Christmas!
Thank you, Beth. Merry Christmas to you also! I agree with this hymn is power-packed. Charles Wesley was gifted at putting together a few well-chosen words and expressing a whole lot of meaning!
Great truths in this song, and one of my favorites. Thank you, Nancy for unpacking the lyrics that are so profound! It truly is a hymn of worship.
Agreed! The lyrics do make the heart overflow with grateful adoration for our loving God and Savior.
Thank you for leading us to pause and worship as we read these familiar words…to contemplate their true meaning for us.
You’re welcome, Patty. I know I certainly enjoyed and benefited from meditating on this carol!
Such a beautiful post, Nancy! I am so thankful I saw your comment above mine on Pam’s post this morning. It led me to your lovely blog! I am almost certain you and I have corresponded before? Your name sounds so familiar to me. May the Lord richly bless you this Christmas season.
Yes, we have corresponded before! One of my blogger-friends (I can’t remember which one) offered a drawing for your book, Homespun Devotions, and I won! If I remember correctly, I sent you a note after I received it and began to read your insightful, prayer-inducing reflections. Welcome to the blog, Cheryl! I’m honored you chose to become a follower.
Oh, yes! I do remember your note! I hope you received my return note to you. It is nice to reconnect with you here. Have a Merry Christmas!
I DID receive your note, Cheryl!
“… augmented intimacy with God.” What a nice way to describe the impact of the words of a hymn. I’m sure I’m not the only one to admit I always thought the words were “… SON of righteousness”. The actual wording is even more appropriate next to “… light and life…” Beautiful.
Merry Christmas, Nancy!
Aren’t Wesley’s lyrics wonderful? I thoroughly enjoyed journaling through them, digging into their meaning. So glad you found a worthwhile nugget too!