I have always enjoyed “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
My family and I used it as the last song in Christmas productions that we performed for over 20 years at various retirement homes. We read from the King James Bible, showed pictures of the Holy Land locations of the events, displayed historical artifacts, and sang traditional carols to tell the account of the birth of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we would end the production with “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
You hear this song in different movie renditions of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” and it is actually mentioned in the original story from 1843. In addition, for many years it was one of the first two carols sung during the famous Nine Lessons and Carols program held on Christmas Eve at King’s College, Cambridge, where it follows the singing of “Once in Royal David’s City.”
“Merry” is often misinterpreted as modifying “gentlemen,” but actually “God rest you merry” is addressing the gentlemen to whom we are speaking. In this context, “rest” is a transitive verb that means “to keep, cause to continue, and to remain.” So the historic meaning of “God rest you merry” is “may God grant you (and keep you in His) peace and happiness.” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this phrase was in use from 1534 onward. It actually appeared in Shakespeare’s 1599 play “As You Like It.”
What is fascinating is that “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is considered one of the oldest carols. The original 15th-century words of the song were written by an unknown author, but the music we enjoy today is a traditional English melody in the minor mode whose 1815 edition was an arrangement by Samuel Wesley, the son of Charles Wesley.
The song begins with the blessing “God rest ye merry, gentlemen,” and then states, “Let nothing you dismay.” This leads one to remember Isaiah 41:10. In this verse we are reminded that God is with us and will strengthen us, help us and uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness.
The song continues with “Remember Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas Day.” Here we are encouraged to remember what Christmas is all about. It is about Christ the Savior coming to the earth, and that is why we celebrate Christmas Day!
It is through Jesus’ birth that we have Emmanuel. We have “God with us.” Yes, God walked this planet in the form of the Son, but now, through the Spirit, He is with us always (Matthew 28:20), and He even prays that we would be one with Him (John 17:22-23).
How does Jesus help us? Well, the next verse of the song says, “To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray.” The Bible continually tells us that Jesus destroyed the work of Satan (Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 John 3:7-9), and Jesus promises us that if we stumble into sin, He is there to help us (1 John 2:1-2) and even makes the way to restore us from sin (1 John 1:9).
These are indeed “tidings of comfort and joy”! Jesus is our Savior and Deliverer, and He strengthens us, helps us and upholds us so that we do not have to be dismayed. Praise God!
The next three verses of the song tell the account of the visit of the angel of the LORD to the shepherds. It goes through the Gospel of Luke 2:8-18. It is absolutely wonderful and biblically correct.
Then verse five explains to us how we should respond to these good tidings: “Now to the Lord sing praises, all ye within this place, / And in true love and brotherhood each other now embrace. / This holy tide of Christmas doth bring redeeming grace.”
We all should sing praises to the LORD God Almighty for His mercy and grace in sending God the Son to the earth to be the Savior of the world. We should choose to embrace each other with true love and brotherhood, for the way has been made for us to receive the forgiveness of our sins and chart a course for heaven when our time on earth is up.
Because Christmas is about the birth of the Savior, now you have the opportunity to receive what has been done for you — and act upon it, becoming a follower of our LORD.
So the holy tide of Christmas does indeed bring redeeming grace.
God rest you merry, readers of The Western Journal. Merry Christmas!
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