Advent-Christmas is my favorite period of the year! One of the things that enrich and brighten the season is Christ-centered Christmas carols. Many beautiful songs capture the glorious event of Jesus’ coming and birth, and here are my ten favorites!
“What sweeter music can we bring, Than a carol for to sing, The birth of this heavenly king? Awake the voice! Awake the String! (Robert Herrick)
1. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is an English translation of a Latin hymn, “Veni Emmanuel,” sung in the middle ages. I love the themes of hope, redemption, and joy woven in it; it is probably my favorite Christmas hymn. It echoes perfectly our longings for Christ’s return and our great joy when He does.
“O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.“
2. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – Charles Wesley
Here is another excellent hymn that speaks of our long wait for the Messiah. But unlike Israel, we already have deliverance from sin and death. Now we wait for His glorious return when He reigns and dwells with us in person. And of His kingdom, there will be no end.
“Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
3. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing – Charles Wesley
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing is one of Charles Wesley’s most famous hymns (He wrote about 6000 hymns!). The original first line of the poem says, “Hark! How all the welkin rings, glory to the King of kings.” But George Whitfield changed it when he published it. Unfortunately for Wesley, Whitfield’s modification stuck, and his original line was forgotten. As with other Wesley’s hymns, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is packed with rich theology and glorious truths about Christ.
“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.”
4. Angels We Have Heard on High
The author of Angels We Have Heard on High is unknown, but it was first sung in French in the nineteenth century. I think my favorite part of this beautiful hymn is the chorus which says, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” glory to God in the highest (Luke 2:14). I adore this version by Andrea Bocelli! It gives me the chills every time!
“Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.”
5. Silent Night! Holy Night! – Joseph Mohr
Silent Night! Holy Night is one of the few hymns on this list that I have known since childhood. It was written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr, an Austrian priest. This classic and beautiful hymn takes us back to that glorious night when Christ the Lord was born.
“Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace”
6. O Holy Night – Placide Cappeau
This is another french hymn and one of my top five Christmas hymns. It always makes me want to fall on my knees and praise Christ the Lord!
“A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born.”
7. O Come, All Ye Faithful – John Francis Wade
This is an excellent hymn to sing on Christmas morning as it speaks of the incarnation in the present tense. It is a beautiful call to worship for Christmas day! I also like this version by Pentatonix.
“Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing”
8. Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord – Boney M
Mary’s Boy Child is a Christmas song written by Jester Hairston in 1956. Boney M’s cover is one of the most popular covers of the song and a staple of my childhood. A few other girls and I sang this song during our school’s annual Christmas party when I was a kid.
“Hark, now hear the angels sing
a king was born today
And man will live forevermore
because of Christmas Day.”
9. Joy to the World – Isaac Watts
Joy to the World is one of the most famous Christmas songs in the world. But fun fact, Watts did not initially write it as a Christmas song. The song is not even about Christmas! Watts wrote this poem based on Psalm 98, which is about the second coming and future reign of Christ. But somehow, somewhere, the Church adopted it as a Christmas song.
“He rules the world with truth and grace
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,”
10. Go Tell It on the Mountain – John Wesley Work Jr.
Go Tell It on the Mountain is a negro spiritual—Songs by African slaves. It is a lovely song that reminds us of our duty and privilege to share the good news of Christ with others.
“Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn”
There are many other Christmas songs out there, and you can discover many of them in Hosanna in Excelsis: Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
Merry Christmas!
