God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

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"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" is a traditional Christmas carol. It is in the key of A minor (traditionally) and is in common time.

Contents

[edit] History

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" was first published in England in 1833 when it appeared in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, a collection of seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys, though its incipit was in William Hone's "List of Christmas carols now annually printed" in Ancient Mysteries Described, 1823. The author is unknown. The words of the song had different meanings in the time of its writing than in contemporary use; rest meant "keep," while merry meant "mighty" or "strong"—thus, the title in modern English means "May God keep you gentlemen strong." It is not an address to "merry gentlemen." It is believed that the song was sung to the gentry by town watchmen who earned additional money during the Christmas season. This is the carol of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, 1843: "...at the first sound of — "God bless you merry, gentleman! May nothing you dismay!"— Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action, that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost."

[edit] Lyrics

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day (or Was born on Christmas Day)
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


In Bethlehem, in Israel, (or "in Jewry")
This blessèd Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessèd morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


"Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy


Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

[edit] Notable cover versions

[edit] Further reading

  • The New Oxford Book of Carols, ed. Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parrott (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), p. 527

[edit] External links

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In other languages