All you faithful, come joyfully and triumphantly! Come, come to Bethlehem! Come and behold him who was born: the king of angels.
Choirs of angels, sing in exultation. All heaven’s citizens, sing! Glory in the highest to God.
Yes, we greet you, Lord born this happy morning—Jesus, son of the Father, now appearing in flesh. Let all glory be given to you.
Come, let’s adore him—Christ the Lord.
[Original Text: attributed to John F. Wade, translated by Frederick Oakeley]
Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king! Let every heart make room for him and let saints and angels sing.
Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns and saints sing; while fields, floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the joy that’s sounding.
Sin and sorrow won’t grow anymore. Nor will thorns infest the ground. He’ll come and make the blessings flow as far as the curse was found.
Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High while Israel spreads abroad like stars glittering in the sky. And always worship God.
[Original Text: Isaac Watts, with alterations by William W. Phelps]
Traditional Christmas carols are perhaps some of the most familiar text in the English language. I love singing them each Christmas, but for me the plain meaning of these old hymns often “hides in plain sight” due to the excessive familiarity that comes after a lifetime of repetition. I’ve found that restating them in more modern, non-poetic text makes that meaning more accessible to my 21st century mind.
That’s why over the coming days I will be publishing 14 traditional Christmas carols that I have translated from the somewhat archaic poetic original into more-or-less-modern prose. (I’ve simply included all of the Christmas songs from the LDS hymnal.) I hope that you’ll find these beneficial.