O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold him born the King of angels: O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Purportedly written during the Renaissance period, possibly by a king of Portugal, this essential hymn was written and is often sung in Latin. The version we now know was first published around the turn of the twentieth-century in England. And it has been one of the final carols at King’s College for Lessons and Carols since its beginning.

The music has everyone, especially the sopranos, singing in the rafters – as it retells the wonder of the Christmas story. It invites all to come and see this miracle that God has accomplished. And then, as the shepherds have done before us, we are invited to return, glorifying and praising God for all that we have seen.

As we give thanks on this Christmas morning, may we never forget that God loves us more than we can possibly imagine and that God, Emmanuel, will always be with us.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory given! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.