Angels We Have Heard on High Lyrics Traditional French carol, translated by James Chadwick, 1860
Sung to Gloria (7.7.7.7 with refrain), public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er our plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Verse 2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your rapturous strain prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Verse 3. Come to Bethlehem, and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.
Verse 4. See him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Where each verse comes from
The four stanzas follow St. Dominic's Hymn-Book (1885). James Chadwick's first version (1860) has longer lines; an 1862 revision gave the carol the shape churches sing.
| Verse | Printed in |
|---|---|
| 1 Angels we have heard on high |
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| 2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? |
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| 3 Come to Bethlehem, and see |
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| 4 See him in a manger laid |
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Every verse was published before 1931, so the words are in the public domain in the United States. Your church may print, project and sing this text. Later arrangements and recordings have their own rights.
Words: Traditional French carol, translated by James Chadwick, 1860. Public domain.
The hymn library's slide and print features are made by Church Posting.
The story behind Angels We Have Heard on High
James Chadwick published his translation in The Holy Family Hymns in 1860. He drew on a French carol about the angels' announcement to the shepherds.
The Crown of Jesus revised the English meter in 1862. St. Dominic's Hymn-Book printed the four-stanza form used here in 1885.
The singers ask the shepherds about their joy, then invite one another to Bethlehem. The Latin refrain means glory to God in the highest and recalls Luke 2:14.
James Chadwick
1813 to 1882
James Chadwick was born in Drogheda, Ireland, in 1813. He became a Roman Catholic bishop. His English translation of the French angels carol appeared in 1860.
- Angels we have heard on high, Hymnology Archive , read 2026-10-23
- St. Dominic's Hymn-Book , read 2026-10-23
- The Holy Family Hymns , read 2026-10-23
- The Holy Family Hymns , read 2026-10-23
- Luke 2 (King James Version) , read 2026-10-23
Scripture in Angels We Have Heard on High
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- Luke 2:8-14 In verse 1 of the hymn
- Luke 2:15-16 In verse 3 of the hymn
Angels We Have Heard on High videos
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Angels We Have Heard On High | Southeast Worship Southeast Christian Church, Modern arrangement
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Angels We Have Heard On High - Gracias Choir Gracias Choir, Choir
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Pentatonix - Angels We Have Heard on High (Official Video) PentatonixVEVO, A cappella
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Print and project
For Sunday
- Slides for Angels We Have Heard on High Every verse and the refrain. Full screen, or a PowerPoint file that ProPresenter and Keynote open.
- Printable song sheet Every verse of Angels We Have Heard on High on a folded letter-size booklet, with your church's name on the cover.
- Add it to a bulletin Opens the bulletin maker with Angels We Have Heard on High in the order of service.
Questions people ask
Who wrote Angels We Have Heard on High?
James Chadwick translated the traditional French carol. Later editors revised his English wording.
When was the English carol first published?
Chadwick's translation appeared in The Holy Family Hymns in 1860. The Crown of Jesus printed a metrical revision in 1862.
How many verses are there?
Four stanzas and the Gloria refrain. This page prints the four-stanza text from St. Dominic's Hymn-Book (1885).
What does Gloria in excelsis Deo mean?
It means glory to God in the highest. The words recall the angels' praise in Luke 2:14.
Which Bible passage is the carol based on?
Luke 2:8-20 recounts the angels, the shepherds, and the visit to the manger.
Is this text public domain?
Yes. The four stanzas and the refrain were printed in 1885, so they are in the public domain in the United States. Earl Marlatt's 1937 rewrite of the words is a different text and is not printed here.
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