Hark the Herald Angels Sing remains one of the most well known, and the most theologically filled Christmas carols. This song was written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, who founded the Methodist denomination. Charles still holds fame for writing over 6,000 hymns along with the lyrics of over 2,000 more. Some you may recognize include: And, Can it Be that I should Gain?; Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Jesus, Lover of My Soul; and O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, among others.

When Charles first wrote this hymn for a Christmas Day service, he arranged the lines of the song differently, had slightly altered lyrics, and wanted the tune to consist of slow, solemn music. A few years later, in 1753, Charles’ friend, George Whitfield, changed a few of the words from Wesley’s original, “Hark, how the welkin (heaven) rings, Glory to the…