The Biblical Significance of the Beloved Christmas Carol "Angels We Have Heard on High"

Tammy Kennington

Recorded by artists as different as King and Country and Aretha Franklin, "Angels We Have Heard on High" spans multiple decades and almost every musical genre. But what do we know about one of the world’s most well-known Christmas songs?

What are the Origins of ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’?

James Chadwick, a Catholic bishop from England, translated the traditional English version of "Angels We Have Heard on High" in 1860. Although the name of the musician who penned the lyrics remains a mystery, the tune’s beautiful lyrics reflect the traditional French piece entitled "Les Anges dans nos campagnes" or ‘the angels in our countryside.’ The talented Louis Lambillotte arranged the melodic vocals with which we are most familiar. 

First published in Holy Family Hymns and a Roman Catholic book, The Crown of Jesus, the tune bore the all-encompassing title of Christmas Hymn. The Diocese of Quebec published the first North American translation of the hymn in 1819.  However, Protestants did not experience the lyrics until the American Methodists included it in their 1935 hymnal.  

Since its initial translation, the beloved hymn has undergone multiple changes.

How Has ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’ Changed?

While "Angels We Have Heard on High" maintains its original theme, everything from its title to the text has changed since the initial English translation.

For example, the French version of the hymn included ten stanzas. Each stanza, with the exception of two sung in unison, represented an exchange between the shepherds and women from Bethlehem. Chadwick’s rendition, however, only featured four stanzas without an interchange between groups of singers.

The Catholic bishop’s version also included an additional unstressed syllable at the onset of each line. This style, known as iambic pentameter, is illustrated with the words, “Say, shepherds why this Jubilee? and “Ah! come to Bethlehem, and see.” Interestingly, the more familiar version we sing today eliminates this syllable.

Over time, arrangers entitled the song "Christmas," "Nativity," or "Gloria." Composer Austin C. Lovelace was the first to designate the holiday favorite as “Angels We Have Heard on High” when preparing it for inclusion in the 1966 Methodist hymnal.

The Theology of "Angels We Have Heard on High"

A musical retelling of the Nativity story, "Angels We Have Heard on High" highlights the celebratory chorus of angels who proclaimed Christ’s birth to an audience of shepherds. Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV) explains, “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, goodwill toward men!”

Rich truth weaves its way throughout the song’s chorus and remaining lyrics. Consider some of the Bible verses associated with the melody. 

Isaiah 55:12 (NKJV): “The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you…”

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Luke 2: 8-10 (NKJV): “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them…Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid…I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heaven’ly song?

Psalm 95:6 (NKJV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker."

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

Hebrews 1:6 (NKJV): "But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: 'Let all the angels of God worship Him.'”

See him in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise,
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise. 

Of course, the triumphant canticle would prove incomplete without the worshipful Latin refrain—“Gloria in excelsis Deo.” The English translation? ^“Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14 NKJV).

While "Angels We Have Heard on High" presents us with a resonant representation of Christ’s birth, what other truths do we discover?

What Can We Learn From ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’?

• Christ is Lord. As Son of God, the infant Jesus already bore the mantle of Lord and deserved the worship of all of creation--including angels, humans, and even the Earth. From the time of Jesus’ birth and into eternity, those introduced to His glory bow in adoration and recognition of His holy Kingship.
• God is no respecter of a persons rank. Shepherds ranked among the lowest in society, yet God commissioned His messengers to proclaim Christ’s birth to others many would overlook. As the Bible reminds us, “…God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV).
• Jesus offers us peace. The songs key Bible verses, Luke 2:13-14, remind us that the babe in the manger came to serve as the sacrificial Lamb. How? The word translated “peace,"  eiréné , extends far beyond an existence free of conflict. Instead, Strong’s Dictionary indicates that the word means “safety, prosperity, and spiritual peace." A peace dependent upon the death of the One whose life elicits the joy we hear in Angels We Have Heard on High. 
• God reconciled the lost through Jesus. Continued reflection on the hymn’s anchor scriptures affirms God’s heart toward those crafted in His image. Even from the fall of man, the Lord intended to bridge the relational chasm created by sin. Christ’s birth portended a future victory over death and goodwill to all willing to accept the sacred Gift wrapped in flesh.
• We can imitate those excited about Christ’s birth. Like the heavenly host trumpeting the good news or the shepherds kneeling in worship around the manger, we who know the Messiah as Savior must share the glorious truths of His advent and eventual return with those around us. Too many missed the Babe’s birth; let us invite people within our circles of influence to experience the promise of Christ. 

 

Ways to Include the Hymn in Personal or Community Worship

Christmas hymns like "Angels We Have Heard on High" provide a wonderful opportunity for enriching personal and family worship during the holiday season. Why not incorporate one or two of the following ideas?                                                                                           

• Choose a Bible verse. Study and memorize one verse or passage related to the song’s lyrics for each week in December. Use Strong’s dictionary to gain a deeper understanding of words like "worship," "peace," and "joy."
• Explore the origins of other Christmas hymns. Choose your favorites or invite each family member to pick a song to research. Take turns sharing what you have learned throughout the month.
• Create a list of songs. Begin your individual or family worship with a streaming version of a Nativity-focused tune. 
• Re-enact the hymn. Do you have young children? Pull out the costumes and role-play Angels We Have Heard on High. Alternatively, locate simple templates and put on a puppet show. 
• Design your own manger scene. After the French sing this famous Christmas song, they often arrange a crèche. Follow suit and build a manger scene using printable patterns or instructions.   

                                                                                                             
While festive tunes like “Jingle Bells” echo throughout shopping malls and blast from speakers every December, few songs capture the holy nature of the first Christmas like the centuries-old "Angels We Have Heard on High." When we hear its melodious strains, may we pause to reflect on the hope of Christ and join in praise at the inspiring words.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/ OlgaPtashko

Tammy Kennington is a writer and speaker familiar with the impact of trauma, chronic illness, and parenting in the hard places. Her heart is to lead women from hardship to hope. You can meet with Tammy at her blog www.tammykennington.com where she’ll send you her e-book, Moving from Pain to Peace-A Journey Toward Hope When the Past Holds You Captive.