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If we listen to the angels’ song in the sweet carol “Angels We Have Heard on High,” we just might hear echoes of the Christmas story throughout its verses and refrain.
Did you know this Christmas carol takes its cues directly from the nativity story found in the Gospel of Luke? Let’s take a closer look at the source of this song’s inspiration.
Angels We Have Heard on High
In a previous series of Christmas carols in the scriptures, I mentioned how sometimes my Bible study group would read a passage of scripture and try to remember which song had included those verses. With “Angels We Have Heard on High,” I went about it the other way around. I had been looking at the verses and refrain of the song when it dawned on me that this was a summary of part of the Christmas story.
Let’s connect the verses of the song to key verses in scripture.
You may find the angels’ song has more praises to sing than just the glorious refrain.
Christmas story in the carol
“Angels We Have Heard on High” is one of my new favorite carols. I’ve always loved this traditional Christmas carol, but this year I’ve grown even more fond of it.
While reading the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Gospel of Luke and practicing this carol for worship, I discovered something I hadn’t seen before. This traditional hymn is the account of a key aspect of the Christmas story – but maybe not what you thought.
I’ve always thought of it as the angels’ song with the “Gloria” chorus. When I looked at the words of the song in light of the scripture passage, I realized how truly connected they are. I also discovered this song is really the shepherds’ song, or at least covers the experience of the shepherds.
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Gloria in excelsis Deo
Verse one introduces the “Angels We Have Heard on High,” sweetly singing, “Gloria in excelsis Deo.”
First of all, who heard the angels? Is that a general “we?” Could mean us, right? That we heard the angels singing “Gloria.” That’s how I understood the song whenever I sang it. More on that in a minute.
What about that Latin phrase in the refrain, “Gloria in excelsis Deo?”
We sang this song recently in church and somebody remarked, “I don’t even know what that means.”
First, how to pronounce it. Did anyone else learn to say the first part of “excelsis” as “eggshells”?
Glory to God in the highest
This phrase means “Glory to God in the highest” and leads us to our first scripture connection.
“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 2:13-14 NIV
Shepherds praising God
Verse two inquires of the shepherds, why so joyous? What’s this “gladsome tidings” or good news?
Luke 2:20 echoes back this verse.
“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20 NIV
The “Gloria” refrain of the song, “Glory to God in the highest,” also returns as the shepherds add their praises to the celebration of heaven.
These verses, from the Bible, and the song, capture the shepherds’ joy of all they experienced on that holy night. Let’s gather a few more details of their divine encounter.
Good news of a Savior
Prior to a whole host of heaven’s worshipers praising “Glory to God in the highest,” one angel of the Lord startled the shepherds out of their routine reverie of watching their flocks by night to tell them the good news of the Savior’s birth in Bethlehem.
“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.’” Luke 2:10-11 NIV
Shepherds go to Bethlehem
The shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem to see for themselves what the angel proclaimed. There they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus, the Messiah, who was lying in a manger.
After witnessing for themselves what the angel had told them, the shepherds told everyone along the way what they had seen first-hand.
Following their encounter with Jesus, the shepherds sang heaven’s song. The next two verses of the carol clarify what the shepherds experienced.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Verse three of the Christmas carol brings with it the invitation to “Come to Bethlehem and see” the birth of Jesus, who is Christ the Lord.
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” Luke 2:15-16 NIV
The scripture passage reflects their decision to go to Bethlehem and see what the angels sang about, what the first angel told them.
Our invitation
Since the shepherds’ joy is already expressed in verse two of the Christmas carol, “Angels We Have Heard on High,” perhaps the next verse of the song, “Come to Bethlehem and see Him,” is our invitation to meet Jesus at the manger. Have you been? Have you met Jesus in this season and joined in the heavenly praise,
“Glory to God in the highest.”
The song, the shepherds, and our Savior, invite us into the story of Christmas, of Christ’s birth which brings the good news of Jesus to us as well. Come, see what the shepherds saw and add your praise to the celebration.
Glory to God in the highest.
Looking for other Christmas carols in the scriptures?
Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – O Holy Night
Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – The First Noel
Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – O Come O Come Emmanuel
