Angels, From The Realms Of Glory
Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:
Sages, leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star:
Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
OTHER THAN ISAAC WATTS and Charles Wesley, probably no writer has contributed more to the development of Christian hymns than James Montgomery, a London journalist who championed the cause of the poor and downtrodden, as well as foreign missions. It is fitting that the music was composed by a blind organist, Henry Smart, the designer and builder of some of England’s finest organs and one of the outstanding musicians of his day.
Montgomery published this poem in his newspaper on Christmas Eve, 1816. In it, he referred not only to the Gospel accounts of Christ’s birth, but also to the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, where the Messiah is called the desired of all nations (Haggai 2:7), who would come suddenly to His temple (Malachi 3:1).
“Don’t be afraid!” [the angel] said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12
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