Powerful Carol Text

In recent years I've been singing Christmas carols with an increased awareness of the powerful texts tucked away in their familiar melodies. The deeper I understand what Christmas means, the greater profundity I find in singing about that mysterious, magnificent event.

Maybe you've shared that part of my journey.

There's one carol that I'd never have understood had I not done some research into the archaic text. I think you may be just as surprised as I was when you read on.

It's the first line that opens up the rest.

"God rest ye merry gentlemen."

Sounds to me like a line that should encourage nap taking after a Christmas feast laden with Tryptophan.

Belly full... that crazy turkey hormone making us feel satiated.

And we sleep. 

But some study of the language more commonly used when this text was crafted--more than 500 years ago--reveals a totally different vibe.

The word we sing as "rest" would better be understood as "make." Isn't that cool? So we substitute a key word with better understanding and get:

"God make ye merry gentlemen."

Yes!

God is the one who brings joy. Merriment. God is the one who makes us merry. 

Not so fast.

The word merry didn't mean "happy" back in the day. It actually meant "mighty." 

"God make ye mighty, gentlemen." 

Really? Yes. Really. 

So how does that set of words come alive now?

God make you mighty, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's pow'r 
When we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!

So let nothing dismay you this Christmas season. Jesus was born to save us from Satan's power. We are the church! The gates of hell don't stand a chance against us. Christ was born to save us all from Satan's power. 

God make you mighty, ladies and gentlemen!


Have a merry [mighty] Christmas!