Danske Julesange

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 angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

Christ, by highest heav’n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord:
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel.

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n 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.

Come, Desire of nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home:
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head;
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Final Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.

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Om julesangen Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Charles Wesley skrev salmen i 1739, men han ville næppe kunne genkende den i dag. Originalens første linje lød “Hark how all the welkin rings” – altså “hør, hvordan hele himmelhvælvet klinger”. Wesleys ven og medprædikant George Whitefield ændrede i 1753 åbningen til den linje, vi kender nu, og tilføjede englene. Wesley var ikke begejstret for ændringerne, men de blev stående.

Melodien har en lige så omvej. Felix Mendelssohn komponerede den i 1840 til en kantate, der fejrede 400-året for bogtrykkerkunsten – en verdslig festsang uden nogen forbindelse til julen. Mendelssohn mente selv, at musikken aldrig ville passe til et religiøst tekst. Alligevel satte den engelske organist William H. Cummings i 1855 Wesleys ord til Mendelssohns melodi, og kombinationen blev en af julens mest sungne salmer. I dag regnes den blandt de fire store engelske julesalmer og afslutter traditionelt mange engelske julegudstjenester.

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