Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Lyrics in Large Print: Free PDF
The words of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. Charles Wesley wrote it in 1739, and George Whitefield altered the opening in 1753. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | Charles Wesley, 1739; altered by George Whitefield, 1753 |
|---|---|
| Music | Felix Mendelssohn, 1840; adapted by William H. Cummings, 1855 |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing in large print: words and download
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The herald angels sing,
'Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on Earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!'
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th'angelic host proclaim
'Christ is born in Bethlehem!'
Hark! the herald angels sing,
'Glory to the new born king!'
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord!
Come, Desire of Nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th'Incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with men to dwell;
Jesus, Our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
'Glory to the new born king!'
Hail, the heav'n born Prince of Peace!
Hail the sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings;
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth;
Hark! the herald angels sing,
'Glory to the new born king!'
Words: Charles Wesley (1739), altered by George Whitefield (1753) and others. Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1840), arr. William H. Cummings (1855). Public domain in the United States: words published 1753 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 3 stanzas and 30 lines. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is one of the songs in our large print Christmas carols collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and when?
Charles Wesley's poem first appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), compiled with his brother John. Called Hymn for Christmas-Day, it had ten four-line verses and is based on Luke 2:8-14. George Whitefield, another early Methodist leader, changed the opening couplet and dropped two verses when he printed it in 1753. The six verses now usually printed are grouped into three of eight lines.
The tune came later. In 1855 the organist William Hayman Cummings fitted the words to a movement from Mendelssohn's Festgesang, written in 1840 for the 400th anniversary of printing. Wikipedia notes that Wesley had imagined a different tune, one used for an Easter hymn of his.
When is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing sung?
It is sung on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and is a regular in church carol services. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for Joy to the World, O Come, All Ye Faithful and O Little Town of Bethlehem use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print Hark! The Herald Angels Sing for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing takes 2 pages at 18 point, 3 at 24 point and 3 at 28 point. On 11 x 17 paper at 24 point it takes 1 page. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.
For a service, print one sheet for each seat plus a few spares, since large print copies tend to be borrowed. For a sing-along, one sheet between two is enough on 11 x 17 paper at 24 point. For a care-home visit, print one for each resident and one for each helper, and slip them into sleeves you can wipe clean. The refrain repeats within each verse, so the sheet is long for a carol. Staple the pages or slip them into a sleeve so a reader does not have to turn a loose sheet in the middle of a verse.