Texte courant Adaptation de George Whitefield (1758)
HARK how all the Welkin rings
"Glory to the Kings of Kings,
Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild,
GOD and Sinners reconcil'd!"
Joyful all ye Nations rise,
Join the Triumph of the Skies,
Universal Nature say
"CHRIST the LORD is born to Day!"
CHRIST, by highest Heav'n ador'd,
CHRIST, the Everlasting Lord,
Late in Time behold him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's Womb.
Veil'd in Flesh, the Godhead see,
Hail th' Incarnate Deity!
Pleas'd as Man with Men t' appear
JESUS, our Immanuel here!
Hail the Heav'nly 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.
Now display thy saving Pow'r,
Ruin'd Nature now restore,
Now in Mystic Union join
Thine to Ours, and Ours to Thine.
Adam's Likeness, LORD, efface,
Stamp thy Image in its Place,
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in thy Love.
Let us Thee, tho' lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Inner Man:
O! to All Thyself impart,
Form'd in each Believing Heart.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th'angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th'incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"[1]
Musique
Enregistrement par les chœurs de l'armée américaine.
L'harmonisation ci-dessous est celle de William H. Cummings (1855):
Enregistrements populaires
En 2020, de nombreuses églises chrétiennes francophones, après avoir produit ensemble La Bénédiction(en) fin mai, décident de réitérer cette expérience musicale et œcuménique. Le , un enregistrement de Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, traduit et adapté de l'anglais par l'Église Nouvelle Vie, au Québec. Dans cette vidéo apparaissent et chantent des membres d'Églises chrétiennes de diverses confessions, des communautés nouvelles, des chanteurs et compositeurs, ainsi, à la fin, que le footballeur Olivier Giroud, qui lit le texte biblique de la Nativité[2].
En 2006, le groupe folk rock Blackmore's Night adapte cette chanson sur son album de chants de Noël Winter Carols : la pièce y est enchaînée avec une autre chanson Come All Ye Faithful, adaptée de l'hymne chrétien Adeste Fideles[3].
