It’s such a privilege to praise God through song. And one of the things I love best about Christmas services is being able to belt out some great carols. While I’m happy to sing (or, more usually, play) a whole range of songs, if I’m honest I do have a few favourites. Those carols that I long to sing and sing again at this time of year. And it seems I’m not alone.
Here are some of our blog team’s favourite Christmas songs:
Alison: “O come, O come, Emmanuel” - It gives the Old Testament background to the coming of Christ and shows God’s faithfulness to His promises – and the tune is great too!
Helen: For me it’s “Angels from the realms of glory” – The chorus is completely unsingable (unless you’re an excellent vocalist) but it’s great fun to try and I love the way it ties Jesus’ birth to the end times: Though an infant now we view him, He shall fill his Father's throne, Gather all the nations to him, Every knee shall then bow down.
Carl: It varies, but it's a close call between “Hark the herald angels sing” and “O Little town of Bethlehem”. The latter shades it on the basis that I can get closer to being in tune as I sing it. One line always thrills me—The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight—all God's promises, all the hopes of OT Israel, any hope for the world, and all the hopes and fears I have in my own life, narrow down to one town, one place, one baby, one Christ.
Tim: “Thou who was rich beyond all splendour, all for love's sake becamest poor” - I love it because it describes the enormity of what the incarnation represents. The Lord Jesus swapped the riches of heaven for poverty so that I could become rich in Him. I especially love it because the words are simple - it is theologically profound, but accessible, unlike, say, the classic Hark the Herald Angel sings, which is a rich feast theologically, but quite difficult to understand for most people, I fear.
David: “Once in Royal David's City” - Just reminds me of the humble beginnings Jesus was born into and my childhood.
Anne: One of my favourite Christmas carols is “O come, O come, Emmanuel”, for a number of reasons, including: (1) because it’s about Christ’s second coming, illustrated in the experience of faithful Israel waiting for their promised Messiah—an incredibly important gospel theme that is traditional to Christmas, but rather forgotten or ignored these days; and (2) because it conveys a beautifully balanced combination of poignant yearning and assured hope, reflecting both our experience as Christians in this world and the message of the New Testament to God’s people; and so (3) it is very simply Christ-centred; and yet (4) it ranges through the whole Bible, from the exodus to Revelation, reflecting “Christ in all the Scriptures”; and furthermore (5), it is sung to a hauntingly lovely tune, capable of expressing both deep longing and joyful triumph; (6) and finally, because it was written by an unknown brother or sister in Christ 600 or more years ago, and so links us to generations of faithful Christians who have sung and believed these words, and with whom we will one day worship Christ when he returns in glory.
So … how about you? Any favourites to share? Comment below or take part in our Facebook survey.
