Every Christmas season we sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
But is this correct? Did the angels sing? Let’s look.
Luke 2:13-14
“And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Next please read this fine article from Guarding His Flock
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The Night of Nights
by Pastor Larry for Christmas
As reenacted in nativity scenes and Christmas pageants down through the history of western civilization, in various ways this story, whether in part or whole, is told:
God promised Israel a coming Messiah. God chose a teenage virgin to be the mother of Israel’s promised Messiah. The virgin was engaged to a young and moral carpenter. A crisis pregnancy occurred. An angel of the Lord alerted Joseph that Mary’s child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Angels announced Messiah’s birth to shepherds on a night vigil near a little Judean town of Bethlehem. Magi from the East visited the infant. To preserve the rights of his royal family to reign, paranoid King Herod ordered infanticide.
On the very night of our Savior’s birth, Luke, a physician turned historian, records that, “there were some shepherds out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). Possessing gnarled and scared hands and countenancing weather-beaten faces, these ordinary men worked the grave-yard shift protecting their sheep, some of which were probably marked to be eventually sacrificed at the temple six miles distant. With slings, crooked staffs, and studded clubs, these men risked their lives to protect their sheep from predatory animals and criminal rustlers. Unbeknownst to them, one particular night was a holy night. The sheep were resting comfortably. The only sound that penetrated the quiet night was an occasional “baaaa!” of a sheep. Whether standing or sitting, these nameless shepherds breathed in the crisp night air as they fought off sleep’s beckoning call. It was a night like many others until . . . .
The night sky suddenly exploded with the light of God’s glory, a bright light that revealed the menacing form of an angel standing nearby. The sight of the angel terrorized these veteran guardians of the night. Had the angel of death come for them? This season, Hallmark will design, print, distribute and sell millions of Christmas cards. Many of these cards will bear images of cuddly, winged, and romantic looking angels. I doubt that any will bear the intimidating visage of “an angel from the Lord” who frightened to death those veteran shepherd-warriors, and who therefore uttered to them, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 2:9-10).
In contrast to the warm and fuzzy feelings people experience during this time of year, it might strike a disconcerting note to even the casual reader of the gospels that fear was a pervasive emotion of the first Christmas. Matthew records that, “[A]n angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife’” (Matthew 1:20). When he saw an angel of the Lord, Luke records that, “And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias’” (Luke 1:12-13). The angel also told Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). Contact with the supernatural angel from the Lord was unnerving. Maybe we have come to feel too cozy with the Christmas story. Perhaps we ought to be a bit more unnerved when we hear the recounting of when God visited this planet in the form of an infant who upon reaching mature manhood, would be crucified for the sins of His people.
The shepherds were ordinary men God allowed to experience an extraordinary visitation that night. James S. Stewart asks, “And is there not a world of meaning in the fact that it was very ordinary people, busy about ordinary tasks, whose eyes first saw the coming of the Lord?” Then he answers,
It means, first, that the place of duty, however humble, is the place of vision. And it means, second, that it is men who have kept to the deep, simple pieties of life and have not lost the child heart to whom the gates of the Kingdom most readily open.
To these herdsmen, God first entrusted the Good News that a baby had been born nearby during their night vigil, an infant “Savior who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). That Baby lying in an animal feeding trough signaled to them the birth of God’s only Messiah (See Romans 10:9-10.).
To these shepherds God first entrusted the gospel message, and it was their vocation that would provide the intimate and pastoral illustration of Jesus’ relationship with His followers. He is the Good Shepherd who calls and cares for those sheep who “hear his voice” (John 10:1-14). And for reason of His care for us, we need not fear either.
source
http://guardinghisflock.com/?p=657
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Okay….does it really say in the Bible that Jonah was swallowed by a whale?
DiscernIt 
16 comments
December 22, 2009 at 7:51 am
Paul
This is what I think. The Army of angels may well have said their praise to God via song. This is a form of praise and works well with a company of people. If everyone in a large group and (their were probibly a legion or two of heavenly warriors there that appeared) all spoke their own praise at the same time it would sound like babel and the shepherds would have had a hard time understanding what was being uttered.
This is why I suspect that a regimented army all praising God togather could well have been using the mode of song. Its an awe inspiring experience when thousands of military men all unite to sing some anthem or another. How much more a legion or two of heavenly warriors? The Host of heaven is the army of heaven, host and army are the same thing.
Anyway i’ll not bet the farm on my thoughts but some assume that angels cannot sing because it never mentions them singing in scripture but even Satan before his fall seemed to be graced with musical instraments. It does not say inscripture that angels cannot sing either. They can eat, drink, wrestle with men and disobedient ones had sexual relations with women in Genesis 6 to produce mutated offspring, ( no longer man nor angel) so why do we think they cannot sing? Anyway something to ponder eh? Merry Christmas and may God bless us everyone!
December 23, 2009 at 8:17 am
Kim
Hi Paul.
It has been interesting reviewing the passages that include angels and singing or song.
In the KJV, in Revelation only the elders and four beasts sing, while the angels are always “saying”, unless I missed something.
December 23, 2009 at 8:56 am
Paul
Yes Kim but unless the scriptures state that angels cannot sing why should we assume that this gift is beyond them? Angels are spirit men where we are from the clay. But they are still men and all men who have voices here on earth can sing to some extent. Perhaps they were made out of fire?( Hebrews Ch.1) I don’t really know the physics of angel matter but as men they have vocal chords. If the can talk they can sing. Also the 24 elders that you mention in heaven singing who are they? Are they humans? I suspect they are also angels just as men on earth have elders who are also men.
At the end of the day I don’t feel guilty by sing with gusto ” Sing Choirs of Angels……”
I’m happy to chew the fat on this one so please tell me why you suspect that angels are forbidden this form of expression? I’d like to ponder thoughts different from my own position.
December 23, 2009 at 9:37 am
Kim
Truly I suspect nothing. I am just quoting what the verses say. I just wanted to point out that we may believe things only because they have repeated and are not necessarily what the Bible actually says.
I hope that the angels can and do sing the praises that flow from them, but it doesn’t specifically say so. Many have studied angels, and I am not one of them.
Rev 5:9-10 has further information about the elders. They sing that they are “redeemed” beings and that they “shall reign on the earth.”
Okay…thats about all I know. I didn’t intend my “intro” to be controversial.
December 23, 2009 at 10:25 am
Paul
No I dont take it as contraversial in the slightest. Thanks for pointing that out about the elders, I never noticed that before.
December 23, 2009 at 10:46 am
Kim
Hey Paul I may be all wet. I have a friend who has studied the elders. David Lowe found that the older versions (not the KJV) may be more accurate translations.
Rev 5:10 and madest them [to be] unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon earth. ASV
They may not be singing about themselves.
“This means that the 24 elders and the four living creatures were not singing about themselves, as rendered by the KJV, but about the redeemed that the Lamb had purchased with his own blood”.
from
Then His Voice Shook the Earth pg. 85
There are interesting comments here:
http://earthquakeresurrection.blogspot.com/2007/06/24-elders.html
December 23, 2009 at 5:17 pm
cherylu
Paul and Kim,
Hi and Merry Christmas! This is just my two cents worth so take it or leave it. However, since the Bible doesn’t ever say angels sing and the Christmas Scriptures do say that the angels “said” not sang, I think we would be a whole lot safer keeping it at that. I reckon we can speculate all we want to that angels can sing–they very well can for all I know.
I guess, my concern is that we need to keep our beliefs in line with Scripture as much as possible and not let ourselves get into pure speculation. I for one don’t want to be guilty of putting things into Scripture that aren’t there. Seems like we all are very familiar with folks that do that and end up in some very strange places!
December 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Kim
Merry Christmas to you also….
May the Lord bless and keep you.
Numbers 6;24
December 23, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Paul
Hey I just remembered a scripture that makes me strongly suspect that angels can sing. Here you go its from Job.
Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The context here is the Lord creating the very corner stone and foundation of the planet. The Lord made the earth on the first day but the stars were not made until the fourth day!! Therefore the stars that sang in the above scriptures was not a poetic reference to the literal stars in the heavens but to something else. ANGELS SINGING!!! hehe lol.
Stars are a term used sometimes to describe heavenly beings. It’s used specifically for angels in Revelation. We see that when one third of the stars fell from the sky with the dragon( satan)( Revelation 12:4) So my suspicions are that this is what the Lord is speaking of when he reveals his glory unto Job.
Not gonna break fellowship with anyone over this one but I don’t think believing angels can sing is beyond keeping in line with scripture.
December 23, 2009 at 11:09 pm
cherylu
Hey Paul,
Thanks for sharing that verse. At least the old commentater Matthew Henry and Chuck Smith agree with you that the morning stars are angels. It seems there may very well be Scriptural evidence that angels sing! Then it is no longer just speculation, is it??
December 24, 2009 at 7:49 am
Kim
Cool!
Yes indeed it looks as though angels did sing in this circumstance. Here is Henry’s comment.
Let him repeat, if he can, the songs of praise which were sung at that solemnity (v. 7), when the morning-stars sang together, the blessed angels (the first-born of the Father of light), who, in the morning of time, shone as brightly as the morning star, going immediately before the light which God commanded to shine out of darkness upon the seeds of this lower world, the earth, which was without form and void. They were the sons of God, who shouted for joy when they saw the foundations of the earth laid, because, though it was not made for them, but for the children of men, and though it would increase their work and service, yet they knew that the eternal Wisdom and Word, whom they were to worship (Heb. 1:6), would rejoice in the habitable parts of the earth, and that much of his delight would be in the sons of men, Prov. 8:31.Let him repeat, if he can, the songs of praise which were sung at that solemnity (v. 7), when the morning-stars sang together, the blessed angels (the first-born of the Father of light), who, in the morning of time, shone as brightly as the morning star, going immediately before the light which God commanded to shine out of darkness upon the seeds of this lower world, the earth, which was without form and void. They were the sons of God, who shouted for joy when they saw the foundations of the earth laid, because, though it was not made for them, but for the children of men, and though it would increase their work and service, yet they knew that the eternal Wisdom and Word, whom they were to worship (Heb. 1:6), would rejoice in the habitable parts of the earth, and that much of his delight would be in the sons of men, Prov. 8:31.
Thanks Paul.
December 24, 2009 at 8:21 am
Kim
This is interesting. The word sang in Job 38:7 is H7443 “ranan”
and is defined:
1.) to overcome
a) (Hithpolel) to be overcome
2.) to cry out, shout for joy, give a ringing cry
a) (Qal)
1) to give a ringing cry (in joy, exaltation, distress)
2) to cry aloud (in summons, exhortation of wisdom)
b) (Piel) to give a ringing cry (in joy, exultation, praise
c) (Pual) ringing cry, singing out (passive)
d) (Hiphil) to cause to ring or sing out (for joy)
e) (Hithpolel) rejoicing (participle)
While in Numbers 21:17
“Then sang Israel this song”
We find H7891 “shiyr” which is defined as singing all the way.
1.) to sing
a) (Qal)
1) to sing
2.) singer, songstresses (participle)
b) (Polel)
1) to sing
2) singer, songstress (participle)
c) (Hophal) to be sung
December 24, 2009 at 9:32 am
cherylu
Hi again on the subject,
According to the information I read, the verb tense in the Job verse that is used for the word above is Qal which, as noted above means to:
(Qal)
1) to give a ringing cry (in joy, exaltation, distress)
2) to cry aloud (in summons, exhortation of wisdom)
So maybe the angels didn’t sing after all. I have to go get ready for Christmas here and quite worrying about those angels. I’m going to leave that one to some more brilliant person then me to figure out. Hope both of you have a blessed day!
December 24, 2009 at 10:25 am
IWanthetruth
Question: “Do angels sing?”
Answer: Job 38:7 tells us that during the creation of the world, “the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.” Revelation 5:11-13 declares, “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels . . . They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” Luke 2:13-14 informs us, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.'”
The above Scriptures appear at first glance to give clear evidence to the idea that angels sing. However, in each instance, the words that are translated “sing” or “sang” could also be referring to speaking. At the same time, the fact that the angels are worshipping and praising God seems to argue for singing as the meaning, not just speaking. God has created humanity with an innate connection to music and singing, especially in regard to worship (Ephesians 5:19). It would seem logical that God would have created the angels with that same “propensity” for singing. Whatever the case, whether singing or speaking, we know the angels are all about worshipping and praising God. May we follow their example!
December 24, 2009 at 11:35 am
cherylu
IWTT,
Good advice! And Merry Christmas to you.
December 24, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Kim
Just a quick note…only the NIV has the words sang and singing in verses Rev. 5:12,13. The others say “saying.” I think… I use my NIV alot but always refer to others for research.
I too was looking at the Hebrew verb tenses. But really didn’t understand them. I have got to get busy!!!! Much to do….