Advent 2021: A Season Of Healing And Hope – Christmas Day

Sing Your Song of Christmas Joy

Carolyn Matthews
(Rev. Carolyn Matthews is pastor of Christian Education at Lakeshore Avenue  Baptist Church)

O sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples.
⁴ For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be revered above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Honor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Psalm 96:1-6 (NRSV)

May you experience the special blessings of this day. Music, the songs of Christmas are welcome additions to the joys of the day.  The songs celebrating the birth of Jesus and the season cross all genres.  Handel’s Messiah is one of my favorites to sit down with the musical score and listen and sing along. What is your favorite? Take time today to enjoy and sing a song to the Lord – whether new or old!

Go Tell it on the Mountain
(Negro Spiritual)

Refrain:
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

Joy to the World
(Isaac Watts)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow
(Negro Spiritual)

There’s a star in the east on Christmas morn,
Rise up shepherd and follow,
It will lead to the place where the Savior’s born,
Rise up shepherd and follow.

 Refrain:
Follow, follow, Rise up shepherd and follow.
Follow the star to Bethlehem
Rise up shepherd and follow.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
(George Whitfield)

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!”

Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”