O Come, All Ye Faithful (Stanzas 3-4)

A single angel announced to the shepherds:

10 ... “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:10–15, New International Version, 1984)

Believe it or not, some debate whether the angels sang or merely spoke. [1] Throughout scripture, worship is linked to music. And since angels worship God [2], why wouldn't they sing "Glory to God?" Regardless, their mere presence certainly got the attention of the anxious shepherds. And their message convinced them to look for the Baby.

When the angels went back to heaven, they rejoined saints who had already died and entered God's presence. These are called a "great cloud of witnesses" that surround us with testimonies of God's faithfulness. (Hebrews 12:1) Imagine what excitement there was in heaven when the returning angels reported on what was transpiring on earth.

Throughout history, God had revealed His Word: through creation, through human conscience, through scriptures of the prophets. [3] But with the birth of Jesus, this "Word became flesh" (John 1:14). God entered human history as a baby, to become the Savior of the world. No wonder a "great company of angels" made the announcement.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exaltation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God, glory in the highest.
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

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.

[1] This is extrapolated from the word "saying" vs. "singing" in verse 13, as well as some other passages. However, it's akin to the medieval debate on how many angels can dance on the head of a pin!
    https://blog.adw.org/2021/08/angels-dont-sing-2/
    https://www.ttb.org/docs/default-source/booklets/why-angels-do-not-sing.pdf?sfvrsn=2
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_many_angels_can_da22:43nce_on_the_head_of_a_pin%3F
[2] Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 7:11
[3] Romans 1:20-21; 16:26.
[4] The picture is from an illuminated choral book at the Opera del Duomo Museum, Siena Cathedral, Italy (photographed June 16, 2021). The angels? They aren't necessarily from Luke 2:15. The illustrator--Girolamo da Cremona--may have been depicting an early appearance of the angels from Matthew 4:11 and Luke 22:43. 😉