God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

“God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” is a traditional English Christmas carol. It is also known as “Tidings of Comfort and Joy”, the phrase that ends each stanza of the lyrics. This carol is an affirmation of the birth and salvation in Christ, recounting His nativity event and the love of God.

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

In Bethlehem, in Israel
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy
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
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 a pure Virgin bright
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan’s power and might”
O tidings of comfort and joy
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
The Son of God to find
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay
They found Him in a manger
Where oxen feed on hay
His Mother Mary kneeling down
Unto the Lord did pray
O tidings of comfort and joy
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 other doth deface
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Lyrics from Genius.com

The Story Behind God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is one of the oldest existing carols, estimated to be from the 16th century or earlier. The earliest known published version of the carol is in a broadside paper dated to 1760. The traditional English melody is in a minor scale. The traditional melody has been associated with the carol since at least the mid-18th century when it was performed and recorded by James Nares under the title “The old Christmas Carol”.

The carol is mentioned in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, from 1843:

“… at the first sound of ‘God bless you, merry gentlemen! May nothing you dismay!’, Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost.”

What’s the meaning of the phrase ‘God rest you merry gentlemen’?
‘God rest you (or ye) merry gentlemen’ means ‘Gentlemen, may god keep you in harmony and happiness’.
The expression is no longer used other than as the title and first line of the popular Christmas Carol.

Played on The Loar mandolin.