Some may read this article, regarding it as frivolous and having little or no bearing on anything of eternal significance - and it may be so. Though the scriptures seem to give us little foundation on the question, the answers may come from looking Higher. It is “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. . .” My dear reader, dare to seek the face of God; yea, the heart of God. Look deeply, fervently, compassionately unto the God who so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son; He who became flesh and dwelt among us; He, the Glory of the Father, made manifest unto us. What was (is) in the heart of God? Never mind our opinions; “Lord, what was your eternal purpose? Was it of any importance to You - whether or not Your angels sang at the birth of Your Son?” We may not reach a concrete conclusion but let us be found having meditated upon and communed with our God.

Did the angels of heaven proclaim with song the birth of Christ to shepherds on the hillside at the birth of Messiah? Or did they merely chant their praise unto the Most High God? Was it the most enormous choir ever assembled, either in heaven or on earth; or did they merely shout for joy? or did they rejoice aloud from hearts overflowing with carols? Oh, to have one’s heart bursting with melody only to be restrained from allowing it to flow forth to fill the air as with a sweet savour! The fowls of the air, as earthly creatures, warble as they will do the eternal angels who abide about the Throne of Grace not have the same privilege as they? Would God desire that his earthly brood compose songs and make melody with voices and instruments to offer praise and glory, and the angels to be somehow made of meaner stuff as to not be allowed to do likewise? How is it, that we being sinners and unrighteous, should sing, being poor and impure in spirit, but not the majestic, holy ones who serve the Eternal God day and night?

Read, if you will the Christmas carols of yesteryear. Were all those writers, poets, musicians, incorrect in their application?

“Angels from the realms of glory”...Ye, who sang creation’s story, Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.” “Silent Night! Holy night!”...heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia...With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King.” “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne”... Heavenly arches rang When the angels sang...When the heavens shall ring, And the angels sing. “Joy to the world”... And heav’n and nature sing. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”...With angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. “O Little Town of Bethlehem”...O morning stars together Proclaim the holy birth, And praises sing to God the King, And peace to men on earth. “O Come All Ye Faithful”... Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, O sing, all ye bright hosts of heav’n above. “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”...That glorious song of old...harps of gold...their heav’nly music floats...they come, with peaceful wings unfurled...They bend on hovering wing...The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing. “Ring the Bells of Heaven”...Glory! Glory! How the angels sing; Glory! Glory! How the loud harps ring. Have you read “The First Christmas Carol”, preached by Charles H. Spurgeon in 1857?

So - what are we to take literally and what is offered to us as a metaphor? Did the angels actually sing “Glory to God in the highest. . .?”

Music consisting of notes and harmonies were given unto men by the Creator. But it is temporal and exhibited in this body of flesh - flesh that is yet sinful and not perfect. No matter how well written and orchestrated music may be performed; nor how eloquent the voices of men and women may be - it is imperfect - because we are imperfect. An audience or congregation may loudly applaud and give honor to those who may be recognized as gifted musicians, but it will not be until we stand in the righteousness of Christ in bodies that He has glorified with Himself that our music, our songs of praise, will be truly of a worthy nature. Eternal music must be pure; but alas, ours is regretfully impure. Sadly, that which was given to be exercised in praise, worship and adoration of our Creator and Lord was commended to the masses - and their abuse of this gift will be appropriately rewarded.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then is music and the sound thereof not in the ear of the listener? The purest of music is made void unless the ear of the hearer be made pure. (The heart that is quickened by the new birth looks longingly for its Parent and delights in His Word!)

Consider Saul [Paul]. Saul heard the Voice of the Eternal Christ, while his traveling companions heard only "noise."I would venture to say, if there had been Pharisees on the hillside with the shepherds they would have heard a great noise, but not discerned the voices. Whether the angels sang (in what we understand as singing) one thing is certain: the announcement of the birth of the Saviour to the shepherds was MUSIC TO THEIR EARS! Who are we to judge whether they sang or not. Were they men, we might recognize their earthly, finite sounds. But who among us has heard the voices of heaven’s angels singing heavenly music? Who among us has righteous ears and a righteous heart that we may determine whether the sound of praise shouted forth by the angelic choir was singing or not? Music as we know it must be no more than a poor pattern of that which is heard in the Celestial City! “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” Isaiah 64:4.

One of the definitions of music given by Mr. Webster is the sound of ocean waves. Is the sound of a babbling brook not music to the hearer? Sound is music! No wonder the name of Jesus is heart-warming! And the reading of the Holy Scriptures: is it not as music to our ears? May God help us to listen beyond human harmonics - may the Holy Spirit sing unto our hearts the praises of our Lord. Oh, my Father! Allow me to hear the music and the voices of the eternal! Sing, Oh heavenly chorus, Sing!

Back to the question: Did the angels actually sing praises unto the Lord before the shepherds?

In the book of Job, chapter 38, verses 4-7 we find the Lord speaking: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

            “Let him repeat, if he can, the songs of praise which were sung at that solemnity (vs. 7), when the morning stars sang together, the blessed angels . . .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, Pro. 8:31. The glory of God, as the Creator of the world, is to be celebrated with joy and triumph by all his reasonable creatures. . .The work of angels is to praise God. The more we abound in humble, thankful, joyful praise, the more we do the will of God as they do it; and, whereas we are so barren and defective in praising God, it is a comfort to think that they are doing it in a better manner. They were unanimous in singing God’s praises; they sang together with one accord, and there was no jar in their harmony. The sweetest concerts are in praising God.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Vol.3, page 209.

Now. If the morning stars sang together, immediately going before the light which God commanded to shine out of darkness: if Christ is the Light which shineth in darkness (John 1:5), strange it would be if the morning stars (angels) did not sing together at the appearing of Jesus, God’s Light, shining in darkness. But consider the context from which these verses are drawn: “Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who hath laid the cornerstone thereof?” “Or who shut up the seas with doors, when it break forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?” Is the world built upon a foundation, complete with cornerstone? Are the oceans held in their place with doors? Our Lord is speaking figuratively; and most effectively, may we say! What then of the “singing stars, angels?” Are they to be taken literally? or metaphorically? or both?

“And the angel said unto them: (said, epo,) to speak or say by word or writing) “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. . .” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying (saying, lego,) to lay forth, relate in words [usually of systematic or set discourse]. The proclamation was certainly of such nature as to be spoken. However the “Glory to God in the highest, [honoring, praising His Person] and on earth peace, good will toward men [His benevolent gift], might have been [in systematic or set discourse] sung forth to His glory!

My sincere thanks to a dear brother and friend who graciously allowed me to use the following excerpts. He says: “I think perhaps the whole question of the angels’ singing should be turned around to look at it from a different perspective, and one that would truly bring us humans to praise our Redeemer more.”

“They cannot understand, by their own experience, redemption from sin (cf. Jude 6, II Peter 2:4), yet are amazed and sing (or speak) exultant praise for God’s grace to hell-deserving sinful men.”

“Since they are interested in anything that glorifies God and His Christ (cf. I Peter 1:12), and are fully in tune with God’s eternal purposes (Heb. 1:6-7, they rejoice over one sinner that repents (Luke 15:10), all the while wondering at the sovereignty of God in choosing men over angels (cf. Heb. 2:14-18).”

“In Christ, heaven and earth are united to God through the finished work of redemption of the God-Man, Christ Jesus. If Christ had taken the form of angels rather than the seed of Abraham, He could not have lived and died in our place, been our Pattern and Guide; been able to sympathize with us and feel the infirmities of our flesh and help us in our temptations; or overcome death for us thus to bring us to heaven to be with Him eternally. But Christ has done all of this and more. We are now heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14) and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).”

“So my song must swell the chorus While the angels’ praises ring. I, a sinner saved and pardoned, Have more cause than they to sing.”

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men. Was it merely spoken, or was it sung? We may never have (while in this earthen vessel,) the discernment nor the wisdom to know for sure. But may our Lord grant that we have wisdom enough to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to both speak and sing of Him in praise, worship and adoration!-

“He came unto His own,? and His own received him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” John 1:12.

“His visage was so marred more than any man” Isa. 52:14.

“As of a lamb without spot or blemish” I Peter 1:19.

“No beauty that we should desire Him” Isa. 53:2.

“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 96:9.

“We hid as it were our faces from Him”? Isa. 53:3.

 “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” John 1:14.

“We esteemed Him not” Isa. 53:3.

“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.” I Peter 2:7

Return to Scripture Studies