God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen

Summary


"God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen" is a classic Christmas poem that carries a message of peace and divine hope across three tender verses. From the red dawn rising over Bethlehem to the white flocks sleeping on the hills of Galilee, each stanza paints a vivid scene of the night Christ was born. The poem addresses gentlemen, children, and all Christians alike, weaving comfort and joy into every line as it proclaims the healing of sorrows and the promise of salvation.

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God rest you merry, gentlemen!
Let nothing you dismay;
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day,
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem in Jury
This blessed Babe was born,
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn;
The which His Mother Mary
Nothing did take in scorn.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

From God, our Heavenly Father,
A blessed angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

“Fear not,” then said the angel,
“Let nothing you affright;
This day is born a Saviour
Of virtue, power, and might;
So frequently to vanquish all
The friends of Satan quite.”
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm, and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway
This blessed Babe to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

But when to Bethlehem they came,
Where this dear Infant lay,
They found Him in a manger
Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary, kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

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
All others doth efface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

Credits

Unknown writer is the credited author of this enduring Christmas poem, which has been sung and recited for centuries across the English-speaking world. The carol's origins are traditionally traced to England, with some versions dating as far back as the 15th century, though the exact authorship remains unconfirmed. This particular version emphasises the nativity setting across Bethlehem and Galilee, giving the familiar refrain a richly visual, almost hymn-like quality.