Advent & Christmas songs
The songs published in the book are a few of my favorites. These are all Scripture based and for the most part follow the theme of the book and season. Having been a working mom and a very busy mom, I know that life circumstances and schedules make it difficult to have a Christ-centered family time. Praise Him for technology, mp3 players, music videos and playlists!!!! Children will both learn about Jesus as well as be able to participate in celebrating the reason for the season as you sing Advent and Christ-centered Christmas songs & carols. These songs are good substitutions in the event you can’t sit down for devotional.
I have searched for favorite renditions of these songs. My tastes run more contemporary. I like artists who have added to the lyrics or break away from the traditional tune. I have included links to some of these artists’ official sites. I have found most everything in Apple, iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon If you want the traditional organ sound, there are many sources online. I didn’t include any. Please contact me and share your playlist artists – especially those your children enjoy!
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
(Words: Charles Wesley, 1744)
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
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Meredith Andrews’ from her Receive Our King album is my favorite version. She has added to the lyrics and the music in such a way that it becomes an upbeat worship song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOxJFN-9_vs
Laura Story has also added lyrics in her contemporary rendition from her God With Us album.
Both Fernando Ortega and Marian Grace have good traditional versions of this song.
https://open.spotify.com/track/443tdXtMSDX8XjlM7QwtPH
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
(Words: Latin, circa 12th century, translated by John M. Neale 1851)
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
Refrain
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Refrain
O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto Thine own and rescue them!
From depths of hell Thy people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
Refrain
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode.
Refrain
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.
Refrain
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be Thyself our King of Peace.
Refrain
Jaci Velasquez has a good contemporary traditional version that I enjoy on my playlist from her 2001 Christmas album.
For King & Country also have a rendition on their Christmas | Live from Phoenix album that I like as well.
https://www.forkingandcountry.com
Other artists I enjoy: Steven Curtis Chapman,
https://stevencurtischapman.com
and Marian Grace.
https://open.spotify.com/track/00zS8akX7sVFG37L1zJdjc
CrossPoint Worship has a good rendition on YouTube video.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
(Words: Phillips Brooks, 1867)
O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting Light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary,
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth.
How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still
the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!
Favorite artists for this song are: Casting Crowns,
Jaci Velasquez,
Jars of Clay,
Sarah McLachlan
https://www.sarahmclachlan.com
and Jeremy Camp.
For fun check out the Face Vocal Band’s (an acapella group) version to the tune of House of the Rising Sun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPUq83yoVlk
Cedarmont Kids has a Christmas Singalong Collection that has most of the songs on my playlist and then some.
http://www.cedarmont.com/store/product/christmas_singalong_collection
For preschool kids: the animated video produced by Geethanjali Kids may do well to hold interest.
Angels We Have Heard on High
(Words: Traditional French carol, 18th century)
Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains:
Refrain:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heav’nly song?
Refrain
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.
Refrain
See within a manger laid
Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth!
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
sing with us our Savior’s birth.
Refrain
Several contemporary artists combine this song with Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Meredith Andrews (again: I bought the album – worth the investment) has a distinctive and meaningful arrangement of this song entitled Glory in the Highest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HLIp59Aq4M
I also enjoy Mercy Me
and Casting Crowns’ renditions.
Christafari has a fun reggae video.
Creator of the Stars of Night
(Words: Latin, 9th century, translated by John M. Neale)
Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
O Christ, Thou Savior of us all,
We pray Thee, hear us when we call.
To Thee the travail deep was known,
That made the whole creation groan,
Till Thou, Redeemer, shouldest free,
Thine own in glorious liberty.
When the old world drew on toward night,
Thou camest, not in splendor bright
As monarch, but the humble child
Of Mary, blameless mother mild.
At Thy great name of Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
And things celestial Thee shall own,
And things terrestrial, Lord alone.
Come in Thy holy might, we pray;
Redeem us for eternal day
From every power of darkness, when
Thou judgest all the sons of men.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Laud, honor, might, and glory be,
From age to age eternally.
Marion Grace is the only group I have found that does this well. Their contemporary arrangement of this VERY old chant is AWESOME! The album, In the Bleak Midwinter, is an Advent and Christmas centered album. This group doesn’t have an official website but you can find their album and songs on AppleMusic and Amazon.
On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry
(Words: Charles Coffin, 1736)
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lord is nigh.
Awake and harken, for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings!
Then cleansed be every life from sin:
make straight the way for God within,
and let us all our hearts prepare
for Christ to come and enter there.
We hail You as our Savior, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward.
Without Your grace we waste away
like flowers that wither and decay.
Stretch forth Your hand, our health restore,
and make us rise to fall no more.
O let Your face upon us shine
and fill the world with love divine.
All praise to You, eternal Son,
whose advent has our freedom won,
whom with the Father we adore,
and Holy Spirit, evermore.
Only traditional options available – it’s the lyrics that I really love. I pray someday soon an artist will take it and turn it into a super hit!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
(Words: Charles Wesley, 1739)
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”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold Him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Refrain
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
risen with healing in His wings.
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.
Refrain
Jeremy Camp
& Meredith Andrews
are my favorites here.
For kids (and those of us who are kids at heart) fast forward to the end (or not!) of the animated feature film A Charlie Brown Christmas.
God Rest You Merry Gentlemen
(Words: 18th century English carol)
God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay,
remember Christ our Savior
was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
From God our heav’nly 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 Savior
of a pure virgin bright,
to free all those who trust in Him
from Satan’s pow’r and might.”
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.
This song is one of my all-time favorites. Mercy Me does this well.
Meredith Andrews’ rendition, (He Has Come for Us), is very good as well.
Again, for kids: Cedarmont Kids have an album that has many of the songs on this playlist.
http://www.cedarmont.com/store/product/christmas_singalong_collection
and videos.
The King Shall Come
(Words: John Brownlie, 1907)
The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills,
and life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
O brighter than the rising morn
when He, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
O brighter than that glorious morn
shall this fair morning be,
when Christ, our King, in beauty comes,
and we His face shall see.
The King shall come when morning dawns,
and earth’s dark night is past:
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that aye shall last.
And let the endless bliss begin,
by weary saints foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.
The King shall come when morning dawns,
and light and beauty brings;
“Hail, Christ the Lord!” Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings!
This is another song where I love the lyrics but haven’t found a rendition that I can get excited about. Trevor Thomson has an arrangement that is the best I have found.
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
(Words: 14th century Latin hymn translated by John M. Neale)
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ was born today.
Ox and ass before Him bow,
and He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened heaven’s door,
and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
to gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
Carola Haggkvist has a fun rendition from her Christmas in Bethlehem album. This is available on Spotify as well as Apple/iTunes.
https://open.spotify.com/album/1gj3WPq1ZpSRwmu0fNpdd6?autoplay=true
Go Tell It on the Mountain
(Words: African-American spiritual, adaptation by John W. Work II)
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.
Refrain
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior‘s birth.
Refrain
Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn.
Refrain
Kids love this song!
YES it is on the Cedarmont Kids Christmas Album
http://www.cedarmont.com/store/product/christmas_singalong_collection
My favorites are by Zach Williams,
https://www.zachwilliamsmusic.com
Mercy Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvydFKT6ZJ0
and Sarah Evans.
Joy to the World
(Words: Isaac Watts, 1719)
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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.
There are so many artists that have done this song that I’m sure you already have this in your Christmas playlist. My favorite is by the late Whitney Houston from The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack. Maybe when I go to live with Jesus, I will get a voice like that??? LOL
https://open.spotify.com/track/2HwaTkbNED2nZfSijP9TLF?autoplay=true