Hark! Hear Ye Not The Angel Song?

Words: Godfrey Thring, alt.
Compare: Hark! Hear Ye Not The Angel Song

Music: Traditional
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

Source: Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #400

1. Hark! Hear ye not the Angel song
The hills of Bethlehem among?
To you this day the Incarnate Word,
To you, the Everlasting Lord
To you on earth, this happy morn,
To you the Prince of Peace is born;
Whilst heav’n re-echos yet again,
Peace, peace on earth, good-will to men.

2. Thus angels sang, and thus sing we,
To God on high all glory be;
Let Him on earth His peace bestow,
And unto men His favour show.
Then men and maidens, young and old,
Come, join the shepherds at the fold,
And singing list, and list’ning sing
A carol to our new-born King.

Sheet Music from Charles L. Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #400

Editor's Note:

Part of the second verse is used as an Antiphon in one of the Divine Services of the Church of England at a very early date. The scans below are from John Playford, An Introduction to the Skill of Music In Three Books, Vol. 1. (London: Printed by A.G. and J.P. for John Playford, at his Shop in the Temple near the Church, 1683), pp. 84-85:

Thus Angels sing, and thus sing we,
To God on high all Glory be:
Let him on Earth his peace bestow,
And unto Men his favour show.

This Antiphon is part of the Second Service described by Playford as part of the Divine Service, etc., pp. 74 ff. The Antiphon is preceded with the following texts:

The second Service is begun by the Priest who reads the Lord's Prayer in one grave Tone, the deeper (if strong and audible) the better: Then the Collect before the Commandments, and the Commandments in a higher Tone, the whole Quire (if no singing to an Organ) answering "Lord have mercy upon us, &c after each Commandment in the same Tone.

Then the Priest reads the Prayers before the epistle, the Quire answering "Amen." When the Epistle is done and the Gospel named. The Quire sings "Glory be to thee O Lord," in the form here set down.

Immediately thereafter is sung the Antiphon listed above "Thus Angels sing ... "

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