Music Monday: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Story Behind the Song: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Today a friend shared this post from Our Daily Bread, about the origin of the song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by one of my favorite poets: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Songs of Christmas – Day 18

Today I have another very popular carol, this one from France. Angels We Have Heard on High was a traditional French carol, translated to English by Bishop James Chadwick. Here are the words from the Hymns and Carols website.

Songs of Christmas – Day 12

I’m so sorry this is late. I have been running ragged this week between work, dancing and preparing to throw a Christmas party. Today’s (yesterday’s?) song is Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This staple of Christmas music is another of my favorites.

Songs of Christmas – Day 4

This morning I’ve picked out one of my absolute favorite Christmas carols, the inviting song: O Come All Ye Faithful.

Celebrating the Songs of Christmas – Day 1

I sincerely hope all of you had a blessed Thanksgiving and are anticipating the celebration of Jesus’ birth as I am. In order to get myself back in the habit of blogging and to rejoice over the coming of Christmas, I’ve decided to post the words to a song (mostly carols) each day from now through Christmas.

The First Noel is a traditional English carol. According to the Hymns and Carols of Christmas website it can have as many as 9 verses, although some versions list fewer. Listening to the song a couple of things stick out. First, that it continually calls Jesus the King of Israel. We Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah that the Jewish people had been promised. His birth in Bethlehem (written about in Luke 2), fulfills the Micah 5:2 prophecy that one would go forth from Bethlehem to be ruler in Israel. Second, that “The First Noel” was to the shepherds, reminds me that God views the significance of people far differently that we humans do. Later kings, would come and worship the baby Jesus as well, but God sent angels to tell the shepherds about the birth of Jesus.

The First Noel

The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay. In fields, where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!

They looked up and saw a star, shining in the East beyond them far. And to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!

And by the light of that same star, three wise men came from country far. To seek for a King was their intent, and to follow the star wherever it went. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel. Born is the King of Israel!

The star drew nigh to the northwest, o’er Bethlehem it took its rest. And there it did both pause and stay, right o’er the place where Jesus lay. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!

Then entered in those wise men three, full reverently upon their knee. And offered there in His presence, their gold and myrrh and frankincense. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!

Then let us all with one accord, sing praises to our heavenly Lord. That hath made heaven and earth of nought, and with his blood mankind has bought. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!