Angels From the Realms of Glory Lyrics, deep meaning, fascinating history, and the most stunning musical performances to experience its 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:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Though an Infant now we view Him,
He shall fill His Father’s throne,
Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising
To th’eternal Three in One:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Angels From the Realms of Glory Lyrics Video
Song Information
• Artist: Traditional Christmas Carol (Iconic recordings by Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Celtic Woman, Carrie Underwood)
• Album: N/A
• Release Date: Lyrics written 1865, first published 1871
• Lyrics Writer: William Chatterton Dix
• Music Composer: English folk tune “Greensleeves” (16th century)
• Genre: Christmas Carol, Hymn, Holiday, Classical Crossover
Angels From the Realms of Glory Lyrics Meaning
“Angels From the Realms of Glory” is far more than a simple nativity narrative; it is a sweeping, cosmic call to worship that traces the arc of Christian redemption from creation to final judgment. Unlike many carols that linger at the manger, James Montgomery’s 1816 text uses the Christmas story as a launching point for a profound theological journey.
The hymn opens with a direct address to the angels themselves, who are commanded to “Wing your flight o’er all the earth.” This immediately establishes a universal scope—the news is not for a select few but for the entire planet. The angels, who witnessed and sang at creation (“ye who sang creation’s story”), are now the heralds of a new creation through the birth of the Messiah. This parallel between creation and redemption is the hymn’s first powerful layer of meaning.
Montgomery then structures the carol as a series of urgent summons to specific groups, creating a powerful sense of inclusivity and progression. He calls the Shepherds, representing the humble and lowly, who are the first eyewitnesses. Next are the Sages (the Magi or Wise Men), representing wisdom, learning, and the Gentile nations. They are told to leave their “contemplations” for the “brighter visions” of Christ, suggesting that divine revelation surpasses human philosophy.
The fourth verse marks the hymn’s dramatic turn from Bethlehem. It addresses Saints in the temple, looking forward to Christ’s presentation and the later “Piercing of Mary’s soul.” This verse often references the prophet Anna and Simeon, bridging the Old Testament promises with their New Testament fulfillment. It introduces a note of patient hope and eschatological expectation.
Perhaps the most powerful and distinctive verses are the fifth and sixth. Montgomery, the reformer, directly calls “Sinners, wrung with true repentance” to witness how Christ’s birth revokes the sentence of guilt and breaks their chains. This is a clear, evangelical proclamation of the gospel’s core—forgiveness and liberation through Christ. The sixth verse affirms the Incarnation’s paradox: the “Infant now we view Him” who will ultimately fill His Father’s throne and before whom “Every knee shall then bow down” (a direct reference to Philippians 2:10-11). This moves the narrative from the cradle directly to the crown and the final judgment.
The final verse is a doxology, inviting “All creation” to praise the Triune God—Father, Spirit, and Son. The recurring, compelling refrain, “Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King!” acts as the hymn’s beating heart. It is not a gentle invitation but a royal proclamation and a command. The repetition drives home the central purpose of the Christmas event: worship.
Set to Henry Smart’s triumphant and expansive tune “Regent Square,” the hymn feels less like a lullaby and more like a processional anthem. Its meaning lies in this majestic, unapologetic declaration that the baby in the manger is the King of Kings, the Desire of Nations, and the Savior of Sinners, worthy of worship from every realm of creation, from angels to shepherds, from wise men to every repentant soul. It is a carol that captures the awe, the scope, and the transformative power of the Christmas message in its entirety.