God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day.
So begins the well-known carol God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. And no, I didn't put the comma in the wrong place. This is not a carol about merry gentlemen who need not be dismayed! This carol, in its archaic language from many years ago, is calling gentlemen (and gentlewomen as well!) to remember the birth of Christ.
Because this is an older carol, and because words and phrases don't always mean the same thing today that they did originally, there's some disagreement about exactly what the phrase God rest ye merry actually means. Taking everything I've read about that phrase and putting it all together, it seems that the best way we can understand the phrase is to consider it to be roughly equivalent to our saying God bless you!
Because this is an older carol, and because words and phrases don't always mean the same thing today that they did originally, there's some disagreement about exactly what the phrase God rest ye merry actually means. Taking everything I've read about that phrase and putting it all together, it seems that the best way we can understand the phrase is to consider it to be roughly equivalent to our saying God bless you!
I've written about this before, in previous Christmas seasons. Perhaps it has become a tradition for me to wax eloquent about this carol. Actually, truth be told, I don't think I have ever waxed eloquent about anything! In any event, here are a few thoughts about this carol.
A little research (translation: reading internet articles) reveals that the composer of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is unknown, and that there is record of it being sung within the Christian Church since the 15th century. The hymn was first put into print for the general public when William B. Sandy included a version of it in his publication Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833), and it was subsequently added to various hymnals and carol books. In 1843 Charles Dickens included the song in his famous novel A Christmas Carol. That's reason enough for me to like it, since I'm a Dickens fan from way back!
But rather than dwelling on the carol's history, it's the second line of the carol that I am focusing on today. Let nothing you dismay. Nothing.
Have you noticed how many people in our world today are dismayed? There's sadness and dismay and stress all around. And with good reason. There's busyness. And illness. And terrorism. And persecution. All sorts of valid reasons for dismay.
Have you also noticed how many times in the biblical account of Christ's birth the phrase "fear not" appears? Depending on your translation, fear not may read as don't be afraid. In other words, let nothing you dismay. Nothing.
Many years ago I directed a children's choir musical titled Three Wise Men and a Baby. With a title like that you won't be surprised to learn that this was a somewhat humorous retelling of the Christmas story.
One of my favorite scenes in this story involves the angel's announcement to the shepherds, which in this musical went something like this:
Angel (in a very deep voice from off stage): Fear not.
Shepherds: (screaming with fright)
Angel: Fear not.
Shepherds: (more frightful screaming)
Angel: I said 'Fear not.' What part of 'Fear not' are you not understanding?
I sometimes wonder if God might not like to ask us that question. What part of 'fear not' are you not understanding?
Without delving into all the other parts of Scripture where we are told not to be afraid,
A little research (translation: reading internet articles) reveals that the composer of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is unknown, and that there is record of it being sung within the Christian Church since the 15th century. The hymn was first put into print for the general public when William B. Sandy included a version of it in his publication Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833), and it was subsequently added to various hymnals and carol books. In 1843 Charles Dickens included the song in his famous novel A Christmas Carol. That's reason enough for me to like it, since I'm a Dickens fan from way back!
But rather than dwelling on the carol's history, it's the second line of the carol that I am focusing on today. Let nothing you dismay. Nothing.
Have you noticed how many people in our world today are dismayed? There's sadness and dismay and stress all around. And with good reason. There's busyness. And illness. And terrorism. And persecution. All sorts of valid reasons for dismay.
Have you also noticed how many times in the biblical account of Christ's birth the phrase "fear not" appears? Depending on your translation, fear not may read as don't be afraid. In other words, let nothing you dismay. Nothing.
Many years ago I directed a children's choir musical titled Three Wise Men and a Baby. With a title like that you won't be surprised to learn that this was a somewhat humorous retelling of the Christmas story.
One of my favorite scenes in this story involves the angel's announcement to the shepherds, which in this musical went something like this:
Angel (in a very deep voice from off stage): Fear not.
Shepherds: (screaming with fright)
Angel: Fear not.
Shepherds: (more frightful screaming)
Angel: I said 'Fear not.' What part of 'Fear not' are you not understanding?
I sometimes wonder if God might not like to ask us that question. What part of 'fear not' are you not understanding?
Without delving into all the other parts of Scripture where we are told not to be afraid,
let's just consider these examples from the Christmas story:
"Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'" (Matthew 1:20 ESV)
"But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.'" (Luke 1:13 ESV)
"And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'" (Luke 1:30 ESV)
"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10 ESV)
Did these people have reason to fear? Sure they did. When was the last time an angel appeared and started talking to you? Don't you think you would be afraid? Think about the shepherds, out in the Judean hills in the darkness of night. Then suddenly the sky is bright with a host of angels, and as if that weren't frightening enough, one of the angels starts talking! I know that would frighten me a bit!
All of these people had a reason to be dismayed. And perhaps you do too. But the advice to each of them, and to each of us as well, is don't be afraid. Do not fear. Fear not.
However you say it, the message is the same. That's the message we get from this carol. Let nothing you dismay. Remember.
Remember that Christ has come. Remember why He came. Remember that God has a plan and a purpose for all things. Remember that God has it all under control. Remember.
From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tiding of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.
"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 power and might."
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
Doth bring redeeming grace.
"Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'" (Matthew 1:20 ESV)
"But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.'" (Luke 1:13 ESV)
"And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'" (Luke 1:30 ESV)
"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10 ESV)
Did these people have reason to fear? Sure they did. When was the last time an angel appeared and started talking to you? Don't you think you would be afraid? Think about the shepherds, out in the Judean hills in the darkness of night. Then suddenly the sky is bright with a host of angels, and as if that weren't frightening enough, one of the angels starts talking! I know that would frighten me a bit!
All of these people had a reason to be dismayed. And perhaps you do too. But the advice to each of them, and to each of us as well, is don't be afraid. Do not fear. Fear not.
However you say it, the message is the same. That's the message we get from this carol. Let nothing you dismay. Remember.
Remember that Christ has come. Remember why He came. Remember that God has a plan and a purpose for all things. Remember that God has it all under control. Remember.
God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.
From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tiding of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.
"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 power and might."
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
Doth bring redeeming grace.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!
Listen to God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obc_Rro7zg8
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