Lyrics: Traditional French carol, Les Anges dans nos campagnes. Translated to English by James Chadwick, 1862.

Music: GLORIA arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes.

Theme: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Angels we have heard on high……………..or…………….Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains……………………………..Singing sweetly through the night
And the mountains in reply………………………………….And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains…………………………………Echoing their brave delight.
CHORUS:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?……………..or………………..Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?……………………………Why these songs of happy cheer?
What the gladsome tidings be…………………………………What great brightness did you see?
Which inspire your heavenly song? …………………What glad tidings did you hear?

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

See Him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.

RBC Ministries: “Back in the Middle Ages in the hills of southern France, shepherds tending their flocks had a custom on Christmas Eve of calling to one another, each from his own hilltop, singing “Glo—ria in excelsis Deo, Glo—ria in excelsis Deo!” Just as angels had made that announcement to shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem two thousand years ago, so a thousand years ago these French shepherds announced again the birth of Christ to one another on Christmas Eve.”

True Believer: “I picture tough, grizzled shepherds with their hearts melting under the light and song of praise. Think of how they reacted. They aren’t giving a newspaper account … think of how you’d react when you run and tell your friends, ‘I just saw angels, and they were singing! It was so powerful, it seemed like the mountains were singing back when it echoed!’”

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