這首聖誕詩由作者查理衛斯理(Charles Wesley)於1739年發表，他作品眾多不乏許多偉大的代表作，而這首成為英國聖詩四大傑作之一。自此，每逢聖誕節，這首詩歌不斷的被吟唱一百二十年，卻一直沒有固定的曲調。直到1855年，Dr. Cunmmings從德國音樂家孟德爾頌之作品Festgesang中,摘用其中的一段作為該詩曲調，後人才有統一的唱法，因此目前所採用的通用調便稱為”孟德爾頌(Mendelssohn)”了。這是孟氏於1840年為慶祝印刷術的流傳而創作，當他完成這首作品時，曾表示此曲將會受到聽眾歡迎，但它不適用於聖詩。然而事實證明，此曲輕快活潑且能振奮人心，將聖誕氣氛完全表現出來，這或許是孟氏當初所沒想到的。  

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems, having been written by Charles Wesley. A sombre man, Wesley had requested and received slow and solemn music for his lyrics, not the joyful tune we now expect. Moreover, Wesley’s original opening couplet is “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”.

The popular version is the result of alterations by various hands, notably George Whitefield, Wesley’s co-worker, who changed the opening couplet to the familiar one, and Felix Mendelssohn. A hundred years after the publication of Hymns and Sacred Poems, in 1840, Mendelssohn composed a cantata to commemorate Johann Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, and it is music from this cantata, adapted by the English musician William H. Cummings to fit the lyrics of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, that propels the carol we know today.

By St.Paul’s Cathedral – London (UK)

Lyrics

聽阿！天使高聲唱：”榮耀歸與新生王；
地上平安人蒙恩，神人和好再相親！”
興起！地上大小邦，響應諸天共頌揚，
樂與天使同宣告：”基督生於伯利恆；”
樂與天使同宣告：”基督生於伯利恆。”
Hark! The herald angels isng, “Glory to the newbron King:
Peace on earth, and mercy mild; God and sinnres reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaiming, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
With angelic hosts proclaiming, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”