God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – English Lyrics

• By: Annie Lennox
• Album: A Christmas Cornucopia

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the timeless beauty of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as interpreted by Annie Lennox! This classic Christmas carol, given a powerful and distinctive touch by Lennox, offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with English tradition and poetic language. You'll encounter archaic yet charming phrases and a message of hope that transcends time, making it a special piece for language learners and music lovers alike. Explore how Lennox's unique vocal delivery brings new life and emotional depth to this beloved standard, offering rich cultural and linguistic insights.

[English]

God rest ye merry gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

For Jesus Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's powers

When we were gone astray

Glad tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy

Glad tidings of comfort and joy

...

In Bethlehem, in Israel

This blessed Babe was born

And laid within a manger

Upon this blessed morn

The which His Mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn

O, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy

O, tidings of comfort and joy

From God, our Heavenly Father

A blessed Angel came

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name

O, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy

O, tidings of comfort and joy

...

"Fear not then," said the Angel

"Let nothing you affright

This day is born a Saviour

Of a pure Virgin bright

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan's power and might"

O, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy

O, tidings of comfort and joy

...

Now to the Lord sing praises

All you within this place

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface

O, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy

O, tidings of comfort and joy

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dismay /dɪsˈmeɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of distress or disappointment verb - to cause someone to feel a loss of courage or confidence
dismay /dɪsˈmeɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of distress or disappointment verb - to cause someone to feel a loss of courage or confidence
joy /dʒɔɪ/ A2	noun - a feeling of great happiness
comfort /ˈkʌmfərt/ B1	noun - a state of physical ease and freedom from pain verb - to make someone feel less worried or sad
born /bɔːrn/ A2	verb - to come into life by the emergence of a new individual from the mother's body
manger /ˈmæn.dʒər/ B1	noun - a structure used to feed animals or a place for sleeping, often in the context of a feeding trough
shepherds /ˈʃɛpərd/ B2	noun - persons who tend sheep
angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ B2	noun - a spiritual being often depicted as a messenger of God
sheep /ʃiːp/ A2	noun - a domesticated ruminant mammal with a thick woolly coat
virgin /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/ C1	noun - a person who has not engaged in sexual intercourse adjective - untouched by sexual activity
trust /trʌst/ B2	verb - to believe in the reliability or truth of someone or something
power /ˈpaʊər/ B2	noun - the ability to do something or act in a particular way

Key Grammar Structures

• God rest ye merry gentlemen

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase "God rest" is an imperative, suggesting a wish or command.

• Let nothing you dismay

  ➔ Let + object + base form of the verb

  ➔ This structure is used to give permission or make a suggestion.

• To save us all from Satan's powers

  ➔ Infinitive phrase

  ➔ The phrase "To save" indicates purpose or intention.

• Glad tidings of comfort and joy

  ➔ Noun phrase

  ➔ This phrase consists of a noun and its modifiers, conveying a specific meaning.

• This day is born a Saviour

  ➔ Passive voice

  ➔ The structure emphasizes the action done to the subject rather than who performs it.

• Fear not then, said the Angel

  ➔ Reported speech

  ➔ This structure is used to convey what someone else has said.

• Now to the Lord sing praises

  ➔ Infinitive as a subject

  ➔ The infinitive "to sing" acts as the subject of the sentence.