Of course, it’s not about me. Or the little guy with the
drum. Or the talented artists who sing every old carol with a new beat or come
up new songs to add to the mix. We keep the message in our hearts and
on our lips so we remember why we’re shopping and decorating. As if the catch
phrases weren’t enough—Keep Christ in
Christmas, Jesus is the reason for season, and others we
feel obligated to repeat. After all, it’s Christmas and we’re Christians—this
is our celebration. When someone
spouts “Happy Holidays”, we make a point of returning the greeting with a quick
“Merry Christmas.” Sometimes an un-merry attitude comes across when we do that,
so watch the tone.
Speaking of merry,
I learned something new this holiday season about one of those old songs that
causes me to switch on over to the music of the dark side. (Don’t worry, I
don’t stay there if the lyrics are filthy, and I’m more than convinced my
salvation doesn’t rest on my choice of radio stations.) Anyway, I heard the story behind
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and I have new respect for the gentlemen in
question.
With no record of its origin, the song became popular among
the English peasants more than 500 years ago. But what means one thing in the
modern world meant something else to those who crooned the tune on a cold Christmas
Eve so long ago. Not the kind of song that would have been sung in the local
cathedral, it was a folk song for Christians wanting something a little
different than the dry Latin lyrics and gloomy music they heard at services.
(Seems the issue of “Church music” has been going on for a while.)
When families and neighbors gathered to offer their praise
for the glorious gift of the newborn babe, they sang what we would assume meant
God, grant some relief to these happy men.
But that wasn’t the message of this upbeat song. A little study on the language
of the time tells a different meaning in the opening line.
The word rest
didn’t refer to a long winter’s nap. It meant to make or to keep. The word merry, to us means happy and joyful. But
to the sad peasant who lacked the means for a better life, it meant strong or
mighty. And according to experts, there is some missing punctuation. It was
lost over the years when modern interpretation gave the line new meaning. A
comma once stood before the gentlemen. So, in the minds and on the tongues of
the original band members, the popular hit song went something like this: God
keep you strong, gentlemen. Or: God make you mighty, gentlemen. Maybe the
ladies were included as well, but these words were an encouragement to the
downtrodden men of the day that God would increase their strength by the
telling of the great plan of salvation. The line “to save us all from Satan’s
power when we have gone astray” meant then exactly what it means now.
That’s what it’s
all about. The reason for the season.
The next time I hear this particular old song I get tired of hearing, I won’t change the
station. I will sing along.
“God make you strong, you guys and gals, let nothing bring
you down.” Well, maybe I’ll just sing the old words, but I’ll remember their
original meaning. As for meeting the inoffensive “Happy Holidays” with a quick
retort, maybe next time I’ll cheerfully say, “And a Mighty Christmas to you!”
Drums and
dancing don’t impede
Instruments
woodwind and reed
Lift your bow
to string
Lift your voice
to sing
Come with me
and blow your horn
A savior came
that blessed morn
Great gain for
life for death will fall
A mighty
Christmas day to all
