Matthew 1:18-23 — Why these songs of happy cheer? (2019 CHRISTMAS CAROLS BOOK)

Matthew 1: 18-23

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[^c^] because he will save his people from their sins."

22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"^[^d^]—which means, "God with us."

Matthew 2: 1-2

The Visit of the Magi

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[^a^] from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east^[^b^] and have come to worship him."

Matthew 2: 10-11

10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Song / Hymn

1. Angels, From the Realms of Glory

1. Angels, From the Realms of Glory

Angels, from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o'er all the earth;

Ye, who sang creation's story,

Now proclaim Messiah's birth:

Come and worship,

Worship Christ, the new-born King.

Song / Hymn

Hymn Lyrics

Shepherds in the field abiding,

Watching o'er your flocks by night,

God with man is now residing;

Yonder shines the infant Light: Refrain

Sages, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar:

Seek the great Desire of nations;

Ye have seen his natal star: Refrain

Saints before the altar bending,

Watching long in hope and fear,

Suddenly the Lord, descending,

In his temple shall appear: Refrain

2. Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high,

Singing sweetly through the night,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their brave delight.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why these songs of happy cheer?

What great brightness did you see?

What glad tiding did you hear? Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the new-born King. Refrain

See him in a manger laid

Whom the angels praise above;

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

While we raise our hearts in love. Refrain

3. Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,

And stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me Lord Jesus,

I ask thee to stay.

Close by me forever,

And love my I pray.

Bless all the dear children,

In thy tender care.

And take them to heaven,

To be with thee there.

4. 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 th' angelic host proclaim

Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the new-born King!

Christ, by highest heaven adored;

Christ, the everlasting Lord;

Late in time behold him come,

Offspring of the Virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

Hail the incarnate Deity,

Pleased as man with man to dwell;

Jesus, our Emmanuel! Refrain

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. Refrain

Come, Desire of nations come,

Fix in us Thy humble home;

Rise, the Woman's conquering Seed,

Bruise in us the Serpent's head.

Adam's likeness now efface:

Stamp Thine image in its place;

Second Adam, from above,

Reinstate us in thy love. Refrain

5. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,

To touch their harps of gold!

"Peace on the earth, good will to men,

From heaven's all gracious King!

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,

With peaceful wings unfurled,

And still their heavenly music floats,

O'er all the weary world;

Above its sad and lowly plains,

They bend on hovering wing.

And ever o'er its Babel sounds,

The blessed angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife,

The world hath suffered long;

Beneath the angel-strain have rolled,

Two thousand years of wrong;

And man, at war with man, hears not,

The love song which they bring:

O hush the noise, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,

By prophet bards foretold,

When, with the ever-circling years,

Shall come the Age of Gold;

When peace shall over all the earth,

Its ancient splendors fling,

And all the world give back the song,

Which now the angels sing.

6. Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,

Over the fields we go, laughing all the way.

Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits bright,

What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight.

Chorus

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride

And soon Miss Fanny Bright, was seated by my side;

The horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his lot;

He got into a drifted bank and we got upsot

(Chorus)

A day or two ago, the story I must tell

I went out on the snow, and on my back I fell;

A gent was riding by, in a one-horse open sleigh

He laughed as there I sprawling lie but quickly drove away

(Chorus)

Now the ground is white, go it while you're young

Take the girls tonight, and sing this sleighing song;

Just get a bob-tailed bay, two-forty as his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! you'll take the lead

7. Joy to the World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;

Let men their songs employ;

while fields and floods,

rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessing flow

far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove

the glories of His righteousness,

and wonders of His love,

and wonders, wonders of His love.

8. Let It Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful,

And since we've no place to go,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,

And I've bought some corn for popping,

The lights are turned way down low,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,

How I'll hate going out in the storm!

But if you'll really hold me tight,

All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,

And, my dear, we're still good-bying,

But as long as you love me so,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

9. Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God,

Light of Light,

Lo! he abhors not the Virgin's womb:

Very God,

Begotten, not created; Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;

Glory to God

In the highest; Refrain

See how the shepherds,

Summoned to his cradle,

Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;

We too will thither

Bend our joyful footsteps; Refrain

Child, for us sinners

Poor and in the manger,

We would embrace thee, with love and awe;

Who would not live thee,

Loving us so dearly? Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,

Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be glory given;

Word of the Father,

Now in flesh appearing; Refrain

10. Oh Christmas Tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!

How are thy leaves so verdant!