Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
David Bahn-Reflections Podcast
Luke 2:8-18And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 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. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”15 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.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
Angel Christmas Ornament | Our Christmas Tree | December 2022
My sister’s father-in-law was a Lutheran pastor whose name was Herald. What an apt name for a preacher of the Gospel. He was an interesting fellow. He was serving the vacancy of a church to which I was called in 1983. In some part I believe it was because he wrote the paragraph about me which the congregation used to elect me to serve as their pastor. He made me sound pretty good – way better than I felt comfortable with. (The higher the put you on the pedestal, the farther you have to fall!) On the day that my father was very near death, he kindly and firmly called and told me to go to be with my mom and sisters. “There’s nothing I can’t do for you there. You go be with your daddy,” he said. He took care of handling a funeral for me and the following Sunday service as well.
He advised me to practice intentional solicitude to the people of the church I was serving then. And on one occasion, when I had been treated very badly by some people there, he advised me to tell them, “OK, you can let God get back on his throne now.” It was his way of saying that they were completely out of line and had usurped God’s proper place in favor of their view of me and my ministry. It felt pretty good in that moment. He was in fact a Herald! He had his faults – we all do. But he sure did herald good news and grace to me.
A herald is an official messenger, a person who brings news. And in the case of the Herald Angels, their news is infinitely good. There is a new-born king. He is reconciling God and sinners. He has come for all nations. His birth warrants a glorious expression of praise in the skies. Christ is born in Bethlehem! He is worthy of our glory and praise.
The angels announce a heaven-born Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). He has laid his glory aside in order to redeem us and give us second birth (Philippians 2:5-8; John 3:3-5). We are to join the refrain of the angels. We too must sing his praises. We too must acknowledge his work in and for us. We too must rejoice in his reconciling work. We too must call the nations to rise and give glory to God for his gift of Jesus.
Herald was quite a person. So are you, dear reader. And so am I. We’re each our own unique complex of good and bad, saint and sinner, gifted and needy people. And we all have been reconciled to God. On us the Sun of Righteousness has risen. Christ is born in Bethlehem. Glory to the new-born king.
And that reminds me of a favorite Christmas quote shared with me by another pastor some years ago. He designed his own Christmas card the front of which read, “A thousand times in history a baby has become a king. Only once did a King become a baby.” We have a new-born king. He reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. All glory to him!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born king
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born king”
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
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 new-born king”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born king
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born king”
“Glory to the new-born king”
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Frank Farian / Dp
Hark the Herald Angel Sing lyrics © Universal Music Corp., Culbertson Music, Far Musikverlag Gmbh & Co. Kg, Hal Leonard Publishing Corp., Fox Music, Integrity Worship Music, Integrity’s Praise! Music, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, Two Twenty Nine Music, David Binion Music, Be Essential Songs, Faber Music Limited, Wonderland Music Company Inc., De Wolfe Ltd, Word Music, Llc, Patterdale Music Ltd, Spirit Catalogue Holdings, S.a.r.l., Dorsey Brothers Music Inc
David Bahn - Reflections 