Glory To God In The Highest
Luke 2:13-14
“And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will towards men.”
T. Smith Water from Rock
MUSIC-
"Handel’s theatrical genius comes through in today’s music as he takes listeners through three scene changes. The first scene is the sound of angels hovering above the shepherds. The solo voice is highlighted with accompaniment, rapid violins whirring like a multitude of angel wings. Handel intends a lively, energetic solo, marking the tempo, Allegro, quick and lively. The soprano sings in a high range, suggesting the messenger angel hovering high overhead.
Then, the scene changes to the sound of angels coming to the shepherds. As if from far away, we hear a chorus, or a multitude of angels. The singing and accompaniment are in the high range without any bass voices, suggesting height and glory in the highest. With each “glory to God” the chorus grows louder as the angels come nearer to earth. The angels hover as the violins flutter. For the first time in the oratorio, trumpets join in, suggesting the entrance of royalty.
As “glory in the highest” is in the high range, so “peace on earth”, descends to a low range. Basses join in with their low voices as the violins hover high. The descent of the music line suggests the descent of peace to the people on earth. In contrast to the robust singing of “good will”, “peace on earth” is tranquil.
The voices of the people on earth join the angels in singing, “good will”. The song of the angels now becomes our song! Calvin Stapert has an interesting interpretation of the chorus’ singing “good will”:
It doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to hear this as convivial greetings – ‘goodwill’ sounding like hearty shouts of ‘good cheer’ accompanied by the raising of glasses. This image becomes especially apparent when Handel completely isolates the word ‘goodwill’ and tosses it around from voice to voice.
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I think we listen to the familiar Christmas stories and sing the same songs year after year and yes, we love them. Part is nostalgia- for some of us, we sang these same hymns as children. Music styles change, worship music have trends but somehow we return each Advent to the sweet Christmas hymns. Sometimes with new (and often more singable) arrangements but the words are seasonal touchstones for our Christmas mindset.
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
Their flocks by night
Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King; http://www.hymns.me.uk/christmas-hymns-carols.htmThere you have the entire gospel- Israel is captive. Sheperds watched, angels winged o'er the earth; Glory to the Newborn King! Bethlehem lies still; away in a manger, no crib- in a silent night. Go, tell, joy- the Lord is come!
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I've seen these lryics all my life, I hear the melodies on the first line or two. But this year I heard... "and on earth, peace, good will towards men".
GOOD will, God's will toward mankind - is GOOD. That what Peace is- bringing God's goodnes into our lives. But we know there is not peace on our earth- this week heartbroken families will bury small caskets and their Christmases will reflect more the slaughter of the innocents than joy to the world. Most of the population of the world will rise, eat, sleep, some die- and not hear "familiar" carols or even know the story, the good news.
But that doesn't mean it isn't true.
God came down to bring PEACE,
to show His GOODWILL toward His creation.
Are the angels still hovering o'er the earth as we tend our flocks, our families, our lives?
Last year I set off for my winter travel in a camper with an agenda, a plan, books to read, ideas and outlines for writing, places to see and things to do. What was I trying to prove? That my time here on earth was worth the oxygen I was removing from the planet? That I could hear His voice and DO His will- earnestly proving my love and producing something worthy?
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| Peace on earth.... |
Peace is not striving to make sense of random acts of evil. Peace is not being overwhelmed with the unreached people groups. Peace not worrying about proving myself and producing something, anything. Peace is allowing God's peace to transform MY life, peace is living His goodwill toward the people I meet.
Goodwill is God's heart toward me. Handel had it right when he focused on that one word in this glorious section- "goodwill, goodwill, goodwill". Up and down it soars! "People- My heart, my will toward the earth, toward all peoples, toward YOU.... is GOOD".
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
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....goodwill toward men. |
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